CORK’S EIGHT-TIME All-Ireland ladies senior medallist Juliet Murphy has admitted that she misses the buzz of inter-county football.
Murphy, renowned as one of the greatest players in the history of the game, retired after the 2013 All-Ireland final but is preparing to don her boots again this morning when Cork IT take on St Patrick’s College in the Giles Cup semi-final in Tralee (11.30am).
Murphy took a year out of teaching to undertake a Masters at CIT, where she’s involved in Project Spraoi, a strategy to improve nutrition and increase physical activity in school children.
The Project Spraoi idea originated from a similar venture in New Zealand, Project Energize, which produced wholly positive results.
“So much so that it’s a Government-funded project there as a result,” Murphy explains.
“There is maybe some hope that Project Spraoi in CIT would get more funding – that’s the biggest challenge facing it and always a challenge for the Department.
“But the schools that we’re involved in are extremely happy and see the benefits.”
Murphy has previously tasted Giles Cup glory with Mary Immaculate College but despite her glittering array of honours, she never got to compete in the top third-level competition, the O’Connor Cup.
She reflects: “My attitude to it has been that I’ve played with the Colleges I’ve been in. I’m just glad to be part of it and I never longed for the O’Connor Cup or thought about it to be very frank.
“I never thought about anything in terms of it being anything than just college football.”
But Murphy does sometimes pine for the days when she strode effortlessly through numerous midfield battles in the red shirt of Cork.
She’s been out of the intercounty game for the past two seasons, as the Rebelettes claimed back to back All-Ireland titles, and Murphy revealed: “I probably miss it more now than the first year I left.
“I missed it more than I thought I would. It’s just the enormity of it, meeting your friends, having that expression.
“An hour or two later, heading home from training, you’d invariably feel better.
“I miss the interaction with the team and it was a huge part of my life but I’ve moved on and other things have taken its place.
“You get to a stage in life where you’re questioning a little bit more about what you’re doing and how you’re spending your time.
“Younger girls were coming in and they had an awful lot to offer. I had that feeling my time was nearing the end. I don’t regret my decision at all, I just miss it.
“That’s why college football has been great – it’s that rapport with the girls and the management that’s very nice. And it’s a fun environment too, which has been great.”
Murphy, naturally, still keeps a close eye on Cork’s fortunes and while there has been a natural period of adjustment from ten-time All-Ireland winning manager Eamonn Ryan to his successor Ephie Fitzgerald, she believes the team will be competitive again this year.
“The early losses in the League can be attributed to the fact that they didn’t have a lot of training done,” Murphy says.
“They had a later start and it’s probably a big adjustment for the girls.
“While it’s a change and a big challenge for them this year, I still see them as having huge potential again.
“Other counties, from the outside looking in, would see the change in Cork as being an opportunity for them to strike, so it makes for a very interesting year.”
Murphy will hope to claim another notable medal over the next two days in Tralee.
She would have been in Kerry this weekend in any event, having signed up to the Quest Killarney Adventure race on Saturday, but football now takes precedence.
And Murphy will have some very special visitors cheering her on at IT Tralee, having met relatives from the US for the first time earlier this week.
“My cousins are home from the States,” Murphy smiles. “There’s a family connection there from my grandparents’ time, third generation, and Dan has brought his two little girls down.
“It was my first time meeting the girls on Tuesday and this will be their first GAA match, all the way from Portland.
“I’m looking forward to the weekend,” Murphy adds.
“I’m sure it will be an enjoyable one, immersed in that football environment again will be lovely.
“I had signed up for the Quest Killarney Adventure, a gang of us were going doing that, but I won’t be doing it – unless we lose on Friday.”
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