CORK CITY HAVE confirmed that Leeside legend Dan Murray will return to Turner’s Cross for the 2012 Airtricity League season.
Murray, 29, rejoins Cork following two successful years with Shamrock Rovers, where he captained the Hoops to back-t0-back league titles as well as last season’s historic Europa League run.
Rovers announced last week that Murray would not be re-signing with them for the coming season, paving the way for the centre-half’s eagerly-anticipated return to Cork, which was finally made official this morning.
Murray joined City from Peterborough United in 2002 and captained the club to a Premier Division title and an FAI Cup, before a falling out with then-manager Roddy Collins and chairman Tom Coughlan saw him leave for Rovers in acrimonious circumstances.
Manager Tommy Dunne said this morning that he was delighted to welcome Murray back from “exile” in Dublin to captain City again in 2012.
“Dan was a big player for Cork City in the past, and he will add a huge amount of experience to our squad as we look to the future also,” Dunne told the club’s official website.
He spent the last couple of seasons “in exile” at Shamrock Rovers, but that was only due to the circumstances at the club. Everyone involved in the club, from the supporters, to the players and management knew that Dan only left the club as he is a professional player who had to look after his family, and no-one wanted to see him go.
“I know Dan wanted to come back, and I spoke to him numerous times over the close-season, so I am very happy that we have come to an agreement which will see him return to Cork City.”
“I am delighted to be back at Cork City Football Club,” Murray said. “It was always on the cards that I would come back to the club at some point after having to leave a couple of years ago, so I am very pleased that it is now confirmed.”
From my discussions with [Tommy], I know that he has some good ideas for the future and I am looking forward to working with him.
