‘The Doc’ lines out for his 25th All-Ireland clash

He’ll line out in his 25th All-Ireland final for his county on Sunday, but he’s never hit a ball in Croke Park. Dr Con Murphy, doyen of GAA medics, has been on the sideline for the Cork hurlers and footballers since 1976, when a chance encounter on a Saturday night led to a lifetime of sporting memories.

The doctor was asked by a county board official if he’d look after the hurlers for their first-round Munster SHC clash with Tipperary that season, and he’s been there since.

‘The Doc’, as he’s known the length and breadth of the country, has seen it all with the red and white of Cork — from the three hurling titles in a row during the ’70s, to the long-awaited football victory of 1983.

He had a front seat for the shuddering clashes between Cork and Meath in football in the late ’80s, he was on hand when the Rebels secured an unforgettable double in 1990 — and he was there when the footballers beat Down in 2010.

Along the way he had some memorable adventures, as recounted in today’s supplement.

The Doc had Christy Ring assist him in repairing broken noses. He established, to his own satisfaction, the toughest man to line out for Cork in his time. And he left no stone unturned in trying to get players right for the big day, as Niall Cahalane recounts in detail.

In today’s supplement Cahalane and other Cork players share their memories of the medic.

Also in today’s supplement, changes in the Clare hurling style, the ref’s experience of the biggest day in the hurling calendar, and the 25 things every Cork hurling fan will claim he knows.