Kerry selector Diarmuid Murphy departs backroom team

Eamonn Fitzmaurice has tipped his former Kerry selector Diarmuid Murphy for a future in management after the Dingle man stepped down from his role yesterday.

Murphy has been part of Kerry management teams for the last six seasons under Fitzmaurice, since 2013, and previously Jack O’Connor.

Kerry qualified for three All-Ireland finals in that period, beating Donegal in the 2014 decider, while they also claimed five of the six Munster titles on offer.

Ex-goalkeeper Murphy won four All-Ireland senior medals as a player and was retired for just months in 2010 when he agreed to come on board with O’Connor as a selector.

The big Dingle man, ironically, replaced Fitzmaurice as a Kerry selector at the time and leaves a considerable void in the management setup now ahead of the 2017 campaign as Kerry attempt to reel in old rivals Dublin.

As for his next move, Murphy has been tipped to carve out his own management career with Fitzmaurice stating that, ‘I fully expect him to be wearing a bainisteoir bib before long’.

Fitzmaurice added: “He has been involved in the management of the Kerry senior team for the last six seasons having worked with Jack for two seasons and with us for the last four years. This has been an incredible commitment to Kerry considering his young family. Diarmuid was a vital cog in our management machine. His intelligence, tactical awareness and caustic wit will be missed. His work with the goalkeepers was of the highest standard. From a personal point of view, Diarmuid has been a loyal friend and a great support to me since I took the job. His company on the long bus journeys for the away league days will be missed.”

Murphy’s exit follows the retirement of long-serving defender Marc Ó Sé while Kieran Donaghy has yet to confirm his plans for 2017, acknowledging that ‘it’s a young man’s game’ though also stating he’s open to the idea of sticking around.

Either way, a troupe of talented young former minor players are expected to be given their opportunity to impress in the upcoming Allianz league with Kerry winning the last three All-Irelands at that grade. They are also back to back All-Ireland junior champions and a number of Stephen Wallace’s players will fancy their chances of an upgrade also.

“I absolutely see it happening,” said Wallace after August’s junior final win over Mayo.

“They’re at an age profile where it’s there for them. I think from last year’s junior team, seven or eight went in and played national league and Tadhg Morley obviously went on and played Munster championship.”