Emotional Murphy ticks all the right boxes with heartfelt speech

By Brendan O’Brien

Monday, February 13, 2012

Damian Murphy played like a captain and he spoke like a leader of men too even if he did describe himself as "over the hill and overweight" in the midst of his speech from the Hogan Stand.

It was a speech that ticked all the right boxes and, indeed, one that had manager John Fintan Daly almost wiping a tear from his eyes as tribute was paid to the man who only took the reins at the start of the season.

Thing is, Murphy didn’t feel like a captain. Not quite. "We are missing our captain," he explained. "I am only standing in today but our captain is a great player and he is Ciaran Kelleher. He should be here wearing the green and gold next year if he is fit.

"Himself and another of our lads Colin McKenna did their cruciates at the start of last year. If you told me this time 12 months ago that we would be here without the two of them I would have laughed at you."

He might have cried had he known what it would take to get them there.

"It’s the end of a long journey and nothing less than this team deserves," said Daly minutes later.

"We’ve played 38 games in 12 months and had no-one sent off so our discipline has been fantastic.

"We play the game the way it should be played — we let the ball do the work. Our subs were excellent and we have a great back-up team. It’s just fantastic to bring this back. Twelve months ago I took this job and didn’t know what was ahead."

This was a day players and managers must dream of the night before an All-Ireland final. No last-minute dramas, no wobbly periods when it looks like the game is lost. Just one, long afternoon of dominance and excellence. From one to 15 and beyond.

"We kicked some wonderful points," said Daly. "We were the underdogs and Davitt’s were a very good side. We had a full-forward who was saving his best until last. As a target-man Colm Kearins was outstanding. He was taken off in the semi-final but had a brilliant final. "That’s the sign of an excellent player but it was set up for us really. We knew we could do better than we did in the semi-final. We’ve had a hard road to get here but it’s a dream come through."

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, February 13, 2012