Murphy saves the best ’til last

DIARMUID MURPHY’S timely interventions in helping secure a 36th All-Ireland title for Kerry weren’t just critical – they were his last as the Kingdom’s No 1.

The four-time All-Ireland winner last night confirmed he is retiring from inter-county football at 34, leaving Jack O’Connor with a giant-sized hole to full between the sticks this year.

And he revealed that a problematic back strain he’s been managing for the last couple of seasons is part of the reason he’s calling it quits.

However the Dingle man said: “I had pretty much decided from early on this year that it was going to be my last. You have to look at how much the body can take. I had a bad season the year before (2008), my worst with Kerry, but after a couple of very positive chats with Jack O’Connor that winter, I decided to give it one more season.”

His Kerry coach O’Connor said last night that Murphy’s retirement would leave a “huge void”.

“Ultimately he was one of the key reasons we won the All-Ireland, making decisive interventions in big matches. He had to wait his turn (until 2004) but has been a rock since. Given the new rules regarding the square ball, his presence and safe hands under the high ball will also be missed more than most people realise.”

Murphy won his first Celtic Cross six seasons ago against Mayo (2004), and has picked up three All Stars, culminating in another gong before Christmas after his most influential campaign yet. Murphy’s decision may not surprise his team-mates, but it will surprise the wider GAA public, which saw him come to Kerry’s rescue on several occasions in the 2009 Championship. 34 is not old for a keeper, and Murphy is coming off his best campaign with the Kingdom.

“The age thing isn’t a factor for me because I didn’t make my Championship debut until I was 28. After 2008 when things didn’t go well, you have that extra motivation to come back stronger the following season – and that has nothing to do with age.

“I went out there last season knowing that every game could be my last, and that allows you to play with a certain level of freedom that I enjoyed.”

On his injury woes, Murphy explained: “I’ve had this nagging back strain for a couple of seasons now that is getting progressively worse. It kicks in around June every season, and though the medical team with Kerry have handled it brilliantly, you’re also looking at medication to control it – and that brings its own problems.”

Crucial saves in Longford, from Dublin’s Alan Brogan, and in the final from Cork’s Daniel Goulding were all important, but none as defining as the 67th minute penalty save that bailed out a Kingdom side hanging onto the ropes in the second round qualifier against unrated Sligo in Tralee.

Trailing by 0-14 to 1-9 at the time, Sligo’s David Kelly had the opportunity to pull off the shock of the season, but Murphy went right to palm away his late penalty and spare the Kingdom the ultimate embarrassment.

Said Murphy last night: “I’m not really into ‘best saves’, but you obviously look at things in context, and in that game, we were a couple of minutes from going out of the Championship. People can make great saves in a match but if they don’t influence the outcome, how ‘great’ are they?”

Castleisland’s Ger Reidy and Gaeltacht’s Tomás Mac an tSaoir will likely vie for Murphy’s No 1 jersey, but the Dingle man’s experience, and relationship with his full back and club colleague Tommy Griffin, will be sorely missed.

The Killarney-based Axa Insurance representative has been a vocal and steadying influence behind the Kingdom’s full back line for most of the decade.

“When Diarmuid took over from Declan O’Keeffe in 2004, he had already accumulated a vast amount of experience and was able to slot straight in,” said Kerry selector and former playing colleague Eamon Fitzmaurice last night.

“He had already won two U21 All-Ireland medals and had been understudy long enough that there was no transition phase. Since his first Championship game, his approach has always been that of a consummate professional, and it’s fitting that he is bowing out at the very top – 2009 was his best ever season in a Kerry jersey,. Even with his kick-outs, he completely reinvented his strategy last season which had a major positive knock-on effect.”