Murphy to make the miles count

THIS was the pre-match routine.

In the spring months this year, Shane Murphy would head for London-Luton airport on the Friday evenings that Milltown-Castlemaine played Kerry county league games.

The flight to Farranfore left at 6pm and by the time the club went training that night, Murphy would be on the pitch with them. Sunday nights saw him embark on the return journey but when flight schedules were altered in April, he found himself leaving his home in Islington on Saturday mornings and utilising the Cork to Stansted route instead to head back for the weekend.

It was a demanding schedule but while engineering work brought Murphy to London last year, he wanted to make that commitment count. Midweek he would sharpen his skills by joining in training sessions with the Kingdom Kerry Gaels club in London but was never tempted to put ink on transfer papers. Was it worth it? Participation in tomorrow’s Munster club IFC final against Mullinahone is the answer.

“If you transferred over, you’d hate to think that the club would win while you were gone. It’d be a massive regret if you saw the club in a Munster final. To be fair, Kingdom Kerry Gaels were great about it. They let me train away with them during the year and were just sound out.”

Since the end of August, the commutes have become less arduous.

“I got the chance to do the H-Dip [in Cork] during the summer and I told the lads in the company I was with in London that I wanted to move back here and give teaching a try. I’m doing it in UCC and teaching Maths and Science out in Midleton CBS. One of the big reasons (for) coming back was the football. It’s a lot easier to make training and games from where I’m living in Douglas now.”

There have been plenty of rewards. Milltown-Castlemaine have been furiously attempting to break out of the intermediate grade since dropping down from senior ranks at the end of 2007. Last month they finally claimed senior status once more. It was not their first time winning the Kerry intermediate title. It was not even their first time defeating Waterville in a decider. But it was hugely satisfying for Murphy.

“When we won it in 2003, it was my first year with the senior adult team in the club. We went up senior afterwards and actually won the senior club championship in 2004, defeating Laune Rangers in the final.

“We went up to Clare the following week to play Kilmurry-Ibrickane in the Munster senior club and while we lost, it was a great experience. But it’s a bigger thing personally now to have won a county. And chances are at 25, this could be my last chance to play in a Munster final.”

It’s been a tricky season for the bulk of the Milltown/Castlemaine squad fulfilling club and divisional duties. Murphy won a Kerry senior medal with Mid Kerry in 2008 and along with nine of his club mates, was part of the team that just fell short to Dr Crokes in this year’s final.

“It was hard to keep it going for the club fellas and we’d the intermediate final only a week after the senior final. But fellas were eager to get back at it and make up for that disappointment. We were in the pool on the Monday after the game and back training to play Waterville on the Tuesday.

“Our manager John Fintan Daly was excellent at keeping it going. Gerry Casey from Rockchapel has been over us the last few years and he was more unlucky that we didn’t get over the line. But he got John Fintan on board and it’s worked out well.”

Success tomorrow would be a wonderful conclusion to the year. They have survived gruelling battles along the way. And it’s all been achieved without centre-back Ciarán Kelleher, who was a Kerry minor with Murphy in 2004, and midfielder Cathal McKenna who are both cruciate victims.

“It’s a big motivating factor for us to win for the lads. I’ve played with Ciarán since we were ten years old and it’s a disaster for him as he was captain this year of the club and Mid Kerry. He did it in a league game against St Mary’s in August while Cathal did his back in January. They’ve had the operation and they’re both working hard at the rehab. We want to keep our season going and hopefully they’ll be back before the end of the campaign.”