Murphy's Carlow glory a homegrown triumph
Carlow players and staff celebrate with the cup after the Allianz Football League Division 4 final match between Carlow and Longford at Croke Park in Dublin. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Joe Murphy reckons Carlow's historic NFL Division 4 title success under him, a home grown manager, could be a 'lesson for the future' when it comes to appointing bosses.
The proud Éire Óg clubman took over his native county after things turned sour under Roscommon great Shane Curran midway through last year's League.
Murphy presided over a rare final win on Saturday evening, the county's first in the League or Championship since winning the Leinster SFC title in 1944.
"The boys have been amazing and they're all Carlow men and bursting with pride," said Murphy after the extra-time marathon. "We didn't need any outside influence to do this. We did this ourselves as Carlow people and to me that's massive. Maybe it's a lesson for the future.
"There's no manager or Carlow man that this could mean more to than me, the same for the backroom. It's one thing that I really wanted to go with, a full Carlow management team, even down to the physio and the nutritionist and the liaison, we're all of Carlow stock."
Leading by five points with 14 minutes of normal time to go, Carlow were reeled in by a determined Longford who forced extra time at 2-14 to 1-17.
Oran Kenny's 52nd minute Longford goal and late points from Liam Glennon, Daniel Reynolds and Matthew Carey secured the stalemate.
The teams were still tied at half time of extra time after splitting eight more points evenly between them.
But the 81st minute red-card dismissal of Longford's Ronan Bleakley for a high challenge provided the opening for Carlow.
And they duly sealed a rare Croke Park win three late points, two from influential sub Chris Blake who hit 0-4 in total.
The last time Carlow had success like this, another native was in charge, Turlough O'Brien, in the 'Carlow Rising' era.
"I just think every county is individual," said Murphy. "Their mannerisms, their character, the way they behave, what motivates them. I think it's very hard for someone who doesn't get that, from another county, to get the most out of players.
"There have been great men that have trained and managed Carlow in the past, and around the country at the moment, and they're not natives of that county. But to me, that was the most important thing, that this is purely Carlow owned. We can't blame outsiders, you can just blame us if anything goes wrong!"
R Dunphy (1-3); L Gavin (3 frees), C Doyle (2 frees), C Blake (1 free) (0-4 each); P Bolger (0-3); E Ruth (tp), L Walker (0-2 each); C Hulton, J Clarke (0-1 each).
O Kenny (1-2); Dessie Reynolds (0-5, 1 tp); D Farrell (0-4, 3 frees); O O'Toole (1-0); M Carey (0-3, 2 frees); Daniel Reynolds (0-2); J Hagan, L Glennon (0-1 each).
B McCarron; P McDonnell, J Phiri, C Byrne; N Roche, D Curran, P Bolger; M Furey, E Ruth; C Doyle, C Hulton, M Bambrick; R Dunphy, L Gavin, L Walker.
: C Blake for Walker (49); J Clarke for Gavin (63); S Murphy for Roche (69). A Burgess for Ruth (82); A Amond for Dunphy (84); L Moore for Byrne (85).
E McGuinness; P Fox, R Moffett, B Masterson; P Lynn, O O'Toole, Dessie Reynolds; L Glennon, R Sweeney; J Moran, M Carey, Daniel Reynolds; D Farrell, J Hagan, O Kenny.
: P Moran for J Moran (47); C Brady for Moffett & N Farrelly for O'Toole (63). R Bleakley for Lynn (78); M Flynn for Glennon (85); G Farrelly for Hagan (86).
K Faloon (Armagh).
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