Murphy waves his managerial magic wand once again

Carlow manager, Joe Murphy, has been working his magic with a variety of clubs since he finished playing football himself. He has enjoyed huge success which includes leading Old Leighlin to club championship glory in Carlow and since then he has managed Éire Óg in Carlow and Naas in Kildare to four senior titles in a row.

Now he has turned his eye to intercounty management and not quite a year in the job he has led Carlow to NFL 4 promotion and a league final place in Croke Park. He is looking forward to that test now. After four wins on the trot, the memories of losses to Longford and London are not quite banished but he and the players have learned from those reverses.

“A national final this week. This is after adding to our confidence. We knew that display was in us. I think I spoke to you before that we were a team who hadn’t made the step,” the Carlow manager says.

“We were disappointed with the last couple of games but when you have adversity we were confident we could put a performance together. We found positives and our heads never dropped. We came in here today confident we could put in a performance,” he said.

It was hard to believe that the Carlow team who got dismantled by London was the same team that had gone to Antrim and Tipperary and came away with wins. They had played against London like a team under pressure but this time against Leitrim, it was a different Carlow team.

“We spoke about that. About not retreating back into our shell. The patience we showed at times to work the score. It showed great maturity and I really do believe there is more in these lads,” Murphy insisted.

“It came together today and hopefully that is a stepping stone,” At the end Carlow won pulling up. When Conor Doyle slotted that third quarter two-pointer, the game was as good as over. Not for Murphy though.

“You see it out to the end. Your focus is on the game. I didn’t even know the score,” cautioned the winning manager.

As a player, Murphy has always represented Éire Óg and Carlow well. He is delighted that Carlow GAA people will have been lifted by the achievements of the players.

“It is for this county that we represent. I am genuine about that. The cheer. People going home this evening. Happy and maybe proud of something. That is what we are striving to do and hopefully we can bring more people with us along the way. Hopefully there will be a good crew in Croke Park and they will enjoy the day. It is not too often a Carlow team get to Croke Park.”