Con Murphy: a loyal and steadfast GAA servant

THE redevelopment of the Cork Athletic Grounds into a modern stadium in 1976 is justifiably regarded as one of Con Murphy’s most enduring legacies to the GAA in Cork, which he served faithfully for close on 70 years.

He was the man most closely with the project, as the board’s then honorary secretary, and he had the added honour of performing the official opening ceremony as GAA president, just a few months after being elected at Congress in Ennis.

In January 1974 it was decided to modernise the old ground, and Murphy told county board delegates: “We have reached the most challenging situation the board and the GAA in Cork has ever faced.”

The late Mr Murphy, whose son Noel was reserve goalkeeper to Billy Morgan for the 1973 All-Ireland final, began an illustrious career in administration as a 16 year-old Valley Rovers delegate to the South-East Board convention in 1938.

He was almost unique in that he returned to county administration following his three-year term as president in 1979, being elected chairman later that year. He was also at the helm when Cork footballers walked off the field after playing a drawn game with Dublin in the 1987 National Football League quarter-final.

It had been decreed by the then Games Administration Committee that extra time would have to be played and, in the absence of the Cork team, referee Micheal Greenan (the former Ulster Council chairman) went through the formality of re-starting the game — with only the Dublin players on the field. Barney Rock put the ball into the empty net and the whistle was blown.

The incident caused the board and Mr Murphy considerable embarrassment. At the subsequent board meeting, he reported to delegates that he had made every attempt to get the team back on to the field but that he got no support for doing so.

Interestingly, with the GAC dismissing Cork from the competition, he made it clear he would not agree to an appeal being lodged.

At national level, the most controversial episode of his presidency related to the occupation of the Crossmaglen Rangers ground in Armagh by the British Army. He led deputations to the British government and enlisted the assistance of the Department of Foreign Affairs to help the club, and ever since he has been revered by the people of Crossmaglen, who were represented at last night’s removal by former officers of the club, including current Central Council delegate Gene Duffy.

“It was a hugely difficult time for all of us, but Con stood shoulder to shoulder with us. We could never repay the debt of gratitude we owe him. We would be homeless today if it wasn’t for him,’’ he commented.

Mr Murphy always put a high price on discipline on the field. Con was the only referee to send off Tipp great John Doyle — in the 1949 Munster final against Limerick.

In his very first major game in Croke Park as a referee, the League final of 1947 between Limerick and Kilkenny, he sent off two players, Dan Kennedy and Mick Ryan. One of 18 referees profiled in the book ‘Men in Black,’ he recalled the game, pointing out that the players were “two of his best friends”. They were both excellent characters, but I had no option,’’ he explained.

That summed up his life in the GAA. When it came to the rules, whether on the playing field or in the committee room there could never be any compromise.