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AJ Murphy celebrates Na Fianna's win on Sunday. Ken Sutton/INPHO

'This group of lads have been so good to me, like a band of brothers'

The Na Fianna full-forward on the emotion of Sunday’s All-Ireland club final success.

AMIDST THE COLLECTIVE story that underpinned Na Fianna’s remarkable rise to  become All-Ireland club hurling kingpins for the first time, personal tales shone through in their Croke Park success on Sunday.

AJ Murphy was one of the stars of their dominant showing, clipping over five points and establishing himself as an attacking threat that Cork’s Sarsfields could not handle.

The joy of success was accompanied by emotion for the Na Fianna full-forward, whose sister Rachel passed away in May 2023.

“It was special today. I lost my sister a year and a half ago so this group of lads have been so good to me, like a band of brothers truly, they have your back. It’s going to be a great few days but it’s going to be very emotional.

“We’ve had my sister and one or two parents and other family members over the last few years that have passed away unfortunately but lads just stick together, we’re all so close and we look out for each other.

“It makes coming to training a lot more enjoyable that they have your back. It’s a special group of lads.”

In that context his journey to man-of-the-match on All-Ireland final day merited special praise in the eyes of manager Niall Ó Ceallacháin.

“AJ and his family have had a very hard time for the last year or two.

“AJ, again, is made of the right stuff. And for him to come back over the last 18 months after the time that they’ve had, he’s a good lad and very, very proud.”

29-year-old Murphy had been through sufficient hurling experiences to appreciate the journey Na Fianna have taken to reach the summit of the club game.

In 2012 he won a county junior medal with Na Fianna at the age of 17, the same year that he netted a vital goal in the final as the club won their first Dublin minor A title in 31 years.

That kickstarted a run of successful minor teams that underpinned Na Fianna’s progress at senior level.

Murphy earned Dublin inter-county recognition and when he claimed a Leinster U21 medal in 2016, he shared that victory with club-mates Jonathan Tracey, Paul O’Dea and Shane Barrett.

On Sunday all four got gametime in the club hurling showpiece.

jonathan-tracey-and-aj-murphy-celebrate AJ Murphy celebrating last November's Leinster final with Jonathan Tracey.

aj-murphy-and-shane-barrett-celebrate-after-the-game AJ Murphy celebrating last November's Leinster final with Shane Barrett. James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO

But this group have encountered challenges on the pitch as well, having to wait until October 2023 for their senior title breakthrough in Dublin, and losing a couple of finals before that to Kilmacud Crokes in a shattering fashion.

“I suppose the two finals that we lost against Crokes, we learned so much, we just, we probably weren’t cynical enough, like at those important times,” outlines Murphy.

“So, once we kind of learned from those mistakes, like, we we did hours of kind of feedback analysis after those two years, and we’ve kind of learned from them. We were beaten by O’Loughlins last year in the Leinster final, just better team on the day, but apart from that, I don’t think we’ve let a lead slip since 2022.

“I genuinely believe this was coming. I remember 2021 losing that Crokes game like and I felt like we were so good that year and then just getting over the line two years ago, and then just carried our form through.

“It’s special, like going to Croke Park every Patrick’s Day growing up. I remember seeing Newtownshandrum win it for the first time (in 2004), so it’s special to actually do it ourselves. Dream come true, I suppose.”

Murphy worked in tandem with Tom Brennan close to goal, the youngster parachuted into the Na Fianna attack and who grabbed 2-1 from play.

“The lads are so good at hitting the ball in at the right time, but today my full-forward partner Tom Brennan, he’s just so good at just clearing that space and just sure if there’s an ocean of space in front of you, you just got to capitalise, luckily enough I did it.”

The preparation levels in the build-up to the final were increased for their manager Niall Ó Ceallacháin, as he juggled the responsibility of his first few months in charge of Dublin.

“I just feel for his wife, they have a newborn as well, I don’t know how he’s getting away with it to be honest,” says Murphy.

“Just juggling Dublin and Na Fianna, he’s done it so well, we haven’t noticed any change and he’s been here the whole time. He’s just balanced it really well.

“For him, he probably gets no rest, he’s straight back into it on Tuesday but a few of us will maybe take two weeks and go straight back in.”

One of those new faces in the Dublin ranks is set to be Brian Ryan, the Limerick native who has flourished at midfield for Na Fianna.

“Brian has been super, just kind of having that experience of being part of All-Ireland-winning panels. A few of the boys know him through DCU and being with the Fitz but he’s been a breath of fresh air, his experience and his leadership as well. I’m sure he’ll have something to say when it comes to Dublin now this year.”

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