The lives of Brian

To any budding young hurler or footballer the ultimate honour rests in All-Ireland intercounty medals, first at minor, then U21, finally at senior level.

If you’re good enough after that you get the representative honours — provincial, All-Star — the cherries on top, if you like.

For any hurler or footballer to complete that collection is a rare enough occurrence, the possibilities confined to just a few players in a few counties.

What then, of a man who has it all, hurling and football?

A player who won minor (two), U-21 (two), senior (three), Railway Cup (one) and All-Star in hurling (two); who won one All-Ireland title each at minor, U-21 and senior in Gaelic football, added Railway Cup (three) and All-Star (two) also in that code; a player who, on top of all that, won All-Ireland colleges with his school in football (two) and a Harty Cup in hurling, who won National League (four) in hurling, county championships with his club in hurling (one intermediate) and football (seven senior), went on to add four All-Ireland club titles in football, captaining the team on one of those occasions. This guy is an icon, surely, one of the best-known names and faces in the GAA?

Well no, actually; Brian Murphy of Nemo Rangers and Cork made his name by being anonymous, which sounds nonsensical. He was right-corner back on the last team to do the coveted three-in-a-row in hurling, the outstanding Cork side of 1976/77/78, but he was the quiet man, the fella no-one noticed.

Why?

Because his man wasn’t noticed. Brian Murphy didn’t shine, but neither did anyone he was ever marking — that was his trademark.

In the other corner in 1977 and 1978 John Horgan hit the heights, a long-striking, flamboyant flair player who scored many a long-distance point for Cork, often in times of greatest need. Brian Murphy? He just held his man scoreless, or good as. Move on nearly 30 years, another Cork team on that almost mythical quest (three-in-a-row All-Ireland senior hurling titles, whisper it), another Brian Murphy at corner back, and another quiet assassin doing his job in the shadows, keeping player after player all tied up.

This new version is from Rathcormac, in east Cork; though he ended up with the Young Player-of-the-Year honour (should also have had an All-Star), it could hardly be said that he burst on the scene two years ago, in 2004. He came in quietly, taking over the position of the injured Pat Mulcahy, who had a stellar year in 2003. Many Cork fans feared for the new boy, but it was a groundless fear. They couldn’t see the steel in the slim frame; the steely glint in the eye; like his namesake from the ‘70s, this was a guy custom-built for corner back, for the kind of selfless duty that entailed. In his own quiet way, Brian Murphy Mark II has made his own impression; again he was overlooked for an All-Star award last year, but no matter. He has his two All-Ireland senior medals, and he has the admiration of Brian Murphy Mark I.

“He’s been very impressive, defending very well, using the possession he wins very well also,” says Brian, a Kilkenny-based detective. “He has beaten some very good players, a real team player, good support player, always available to take the ball, whether in the full-back line or for the half-back line. Very impressive.” Comparisons between the eras are foolish, we’re told; comparisons between individuals more so, and yet one can’t help but look at the two Brians and see similarities. Tenacious man-marker, check; pace, check; deceptive power and strength, check; tidy on the ball, check; low profile, check.

Back then it was blondie John catching the eye in the full-back line, today it’s Diarmuid O’Sullivan, “the Rock”. And yet, when there’s a danger man to be kept quiet Brian Murphy was the answer then, and is the answer now again.

In the 1977 All-Ireland final Wexford’s giant Tony Doran was doing major damage at full forward; cue shift of Brian Murphy to full back, threat over — 2004, 2005, 2006, Brian Murphy is again snuffing out the opposition dangerman. Last Saturday week, All-Ireland quarter-final, it was Andrew O’Shaughnessy of Limerick, a few weeks before that, Eoin Kelly of Tipperary. This Sunday, against Waterford, All-Ireland semi-final, could be big Dan Shanahan (1-5 from play in their quarter-final win over Tipperary), could be speedy John Mullane, could be will-o’-the-wisp Eoin McGrath. Whoever it is, says Detective Murphy, the job remains the same.

“The game is gone a lot quicker since my day, but the back’s job overall remains the same, defend; try to keep the forward from scoring. That’s the first job, then to try to keep him from setting up scores. After that, if he can contribute to the supply of the ball up front, that’s a real bonus. Brian does the defender’s job very, very well.”

But, should the defender be noticed?

The question brings a smile, thoughts perhaps of the several 100-yard bombs scored by John Horgan, the 120-yarder by Diarmuid O’Sullivan against Limerick a few years ago.

“John was an outstanding player anyway, the kind of guy who would stand out in any field because of the way he played hurling. But the first job is to defend; it might be boring at times but it has to be done. When a back looks back on a match the first question he has to ask is — how many scores were got off me? The next question, how many scores were made by my man? But defenders generally wouldn’t have the same profile as the forwards, no.”

Unless, of course, you were blonde, or combined a 15-stone frame with the pace a sprinter?

“Well, yes, but I always felt the defenders had the tougher job; they could be playing well for most of a game, then suddenly the forward could get a couple of lucky goals in a couple of minutes. That puts the forward in the limelight, even though he’s been beaten for the rest of the game. The back, too, is the limelight, but for all the wrong reasons — he gets all the blame.”

So how then does a top-class corner-back approach a big game? How does Brian Murphy deal with Shanahan this weekend, for instance, or whoever he’s designated to mark?

Listen to the maestro: “You certainly have to approach it with the intention of attacking the ball, and you must do that every time you get the opportunity.

“A lot of the time you won’t be in that position, so you just try to neutralise the forward — that’s when you really have to defend, try to force your man into mistakes. That happens especially when he’s getting a supply of good ball, there’s nothing else you can do about it, he’s going to get possession in front of you; you have to really defend then, make things as awkward as you can for him without fouling.”

Of the modern forwards, who would strike fear into him? “The two Cork corner forwards, Ben O’Connor and Joe Deane, are both great players, and Brian Corcoran is another.

“(Eoin) Kelly is a great player; probably lacks blinding pace but his skill level more than makes up for that.

“Half an opportunity, he’ll take it, and he’s proved that this year especially. Brian played on him in the Munster final for a good bit of the game, and Eoin wasn’t given the room he was given in previous matches, but if he is, he will certainly punish you. Henry (Shefflin) has also played at corner forward, though it’s not the position I’d play him; he’d be a threat anywhere.

Martin Comerford has also played corner forward, another outstanding player, but again, I certainly wouldn’t play Martin there.

“He’d trouble any back.”

Question: can the current Brian Murphy do what the original did back in the 70’s, can the current Cork team win the treble? “It’s a lot tougher to win the All-Ireland now than it was back then, with the new system — I don’t think we even had to play a semi-final in ‘78 (they went straight from the Munster final to the All-Ireland final, beat Kilkenny); it’s tough going, but there’s something special about this team. I was in Thurles in 2002, the debacle against Galway; actually the footballers were playing the same day, lucky to get a draw against Tipp, but the hurlers — that was even more disappointing, you left Thurles very disillusioned with the display (Cork were hammered by Galway in the qualifiers, prompting the famous players’ strike).

Now they’ve turned it around completely. They won the Munster Championship in 2003, got to the All-Ireland final, which they could have won, won the last two All-Irelands.

Most of the same players have been involved through that time, played some great hurling, absolutely fabulous. There’s great character in this team, and they’ve shown that again this year in tight situations. Took them a while to get going against Clare but when they did, they played brilliant hurling, showed great skill, determination, hunger, when you were wondering if they’d have that or not. The Tipp game was tight again, but they finished well; the Limerick game, they didn’t seem to have the same urgency as in the previous two games. I thought they’d win handy, but Limerick had a different idea, in fairness to them, gave a great display in the second half.

Cork had to knuckle down for the last few minutes, got the vital scores, showed character again.

“They have that confidence that comes with success, that belief in themselves. But Waterford will be thinking of knocking Cork, reaching an All-Ireland final themselves.

“The most important thing is to keep the focus this week on Waterford — just think Waterford, forget everything else.

“Waterford are a big threat; they played very well against Tipp, conceded a few easy goals for a finish which will be a worry for them, but again they showed character, great character. And they have special players, special forwards, special defenders; Tony Browne, Ken McGrath — as good a hurler as has been around for a number of years; Dan Shanahan is capable of great games, Paul Flynn is a dangerous player, John Mullane is another, Eoin Kelly is capable of more.

“They’ll really put it up to Cork, and Cork will have to be at their best to win this.

“They’ll know themselves, without anyone having to tell them, there’s still room for improvement. I’d say they won’t be thinking about three-in-a-row, just focused on Waterford.”

Can they do it?

“Yes.

“I wouldn’t begrudge it to Waterford, but what I’d be saying (and here he laughs), let them have it next year!”

BRIAN MURPHY ON THE GPC DECISION TO HAVE CORK IN CROKE PARK ON TWO CONSECUTIVE DAYS:

“It’s incredible that they’ve done this. Both matches should be fixed for the same day in Croke Park, the Sunday, that’s what makes most sense. To treat the Cork football team in this way, to treat the Cork fans this way, to ask them to go up on the Saturday, stay in Dublin overnight — the fans are something the GAA often forgets. It’s a disgrace, this situation, two matches on different days for the same county, I don’t know how they expect people to handle that. Cork supporters, like so many other county supporters, travel in great numbers; they’ve been in Cork, Killarney, Thurles on three occasions this year; even against Limerick, on the Saturday, the Cork supporters were there in great numbers.

“To expect Cork fans to now pay on the double in Croke Park, to stay overnight in Dublin, come back home Sunday evening, is a disgrace really, shouldn’t happen.”