The Irish central midfielder was voted as the young Scottish player of the year and scored twice as the Accies beat Kilmarnock last weekend with Pompey scouts watching.
The offer tabled was believed to be £500,000 but Hamilton Chairman Ronnie McDonald claimed that the bid "did not come close to our valuation". He did, however, state that if a club made a good offer then the club would not stand in his way.
I can't comment on this particular bid as I've never seen McCarthy play but its good to hear some transfer news about Pompey making a bid for a player rather than constant media speculation about the "mass exodus" of players leaving the club.
It's depressing to read the predictable stories about Redknapp trying to poach virtually all of our players but as Sean Davis says; we have to see this season out first and then sort out the futures of so many players at the club.