‘Sometimes you mightn’t have to like each other but you respect each other’

He’s more of an iceman on the field but off it Paul Murphy would be closer to an icebreaker.

After Michael Fennelly posted on Twitter a post- operation photograph of his achilles and asked his followers for book, box-set and movie suggestions, Murphy replied: “the film Troy is a good watch. Brad Pitt plays this fella called Achille... Actually don’t watch that movie!”

Murphy is the type of athlete who seems to have found the balance between business and banter.