THE DIFFERENCE IN a year.
Rewind to the end of 2012. Denis Murphy was living in Glasgow, the city where he trained to become a teacher and where he was now working.
There was no hurling team in Glasgow, he resorted to gym work and running to keep himself in shape. The hope was that he would be back in Ireland for Carlow hurling combat with Mount Leinster Rangers at some stage in 2013. But the forecast was unclear.
And now look at him. He struck 1-8 in October’s final as the club completed a county senior three-in-a-row. After their local schedule, they slalomed through the province.
On the first day of this month, they made history becoming the first Carlow club to win the AIB Leinster senior hurling crown. Murphy was the scoring star in Nowlan Park, chalking up 0-8 as they defeated Oulart-the-Ballagh by 0-11 to 0-8.
They turn to the New Year as county and provincial champions, amongst the last four hurling clubs in the land that are dreaming of St Patrick’s Day in Croke Park.
“It’s been amazing”, says Murphy. “The celebrations have calmed down but we’re still enjoying it.”
Murphy commanded the Leinster final stage but when he came back to Ireland in early July, he was not making the starting fifteen. That quickly changed.
He came on for Mount Leinster Rangers first group game against Ballinkillen. The next day he was in from the off and played an integral role as they careered through the group stages. Winning a Carlow title, their seventh in nine years, remains something to savour.
“We’re a young club (founded in 1987). But before then the three areas – Borris, Rathanna and Ballymurphy – wouldn’t have had much success. My father Michael played in a few finals for Ballymurphy and never won one.
“The older lads remind you that we’re in a great position at the moment in Carlow. We need to make the most of it.”
Their focus quickly turned to Leinster after winning locally.
“We were disappointed last year when we lost the first round against Kilcormac. We’d to go up to Mullingar and Castletown-Geoghegan tested us. To come out with a two point win was great.”
Defeating Dublin’s Ballyboden in the semi-final made the hurling world sit up and take notice.
“Ballyboden were probably favourites for Leinster”, says Murphy. “Were they complacent? I don’t know but maybe in the back of their heads, they probably felt it was a Carlow team and they’d do it. But we scored 1-17 and were very happy with our performance.”
Denis Murphy, David Phelan and John Coady celebrates after the Leinster semi-final.
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
Becoming the first Carlow club to contest a Leinster senior hurling final did not sate their competitive appetite.
“We’d nothing won. A hurling career is very short and we knew how horrible it is to lose a final. I’d lost two county finals, you’re waking up the next morning and pulling the covers over your head. We’d no intention of going through that.”
Their gamelan was simple for the decider. Be resolute in defence and stay in the game until half-time. They only trailed by two points at the interval.
With Oulart’s nerves becoming frayed after losing the previous three finals, Mount Leinster seized their chance as the second-half wore on. It was Murphy who popped over the vital points.
“I’ve been taking frees since I was 12. I wouldn’t expect any great praise for that, it’s what I do. It’s the teammates who win them.”
The aftermath created memories that will last a lifetime.
“We’ve looked back on the DVD and everyone in the parish was so happy afterwards on the pitch. The Sunday night was probably the best part. You’ve a satisfying sense of achievement and it hits home that you’re the best team in Leinster.
“A load of other Carlow clubs came down to celebrate with us. We’d serious craic. You’d lads looking for you for interviews, RTE and TV3 were onto us. James Hickey got a fair bit of slagging as well for his ‘Just Europa’ comment on RTE.”
They don’t want to wind up the show just yet. They won the All-Ireland intermediate title in 2012. Two years on, they’re chasing the senior accolade.
“Hopefully that intermediate run will help prepare us for what lies ahead. That experience of preparing as you come through the winter. But Loughgiel is a massive task. They were All-Ireland champions last year. But it’s great to be there.”
Denis Murphy celebrate the Leinster final win
Pic: INPHO/Cathal Noonan
