Nemo's Murphy completes transition to middle ground

The transition to midfield is long passed transition stage for the former corner-back.

Briain Murphy, Nemo Rangers breaking past Gearoid O'Donovan, Newcestown in their McCarthy Insurance Group Senior FC semi-final match at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture Dan Linehan

Bríain Murphy’s first county final as a Nemo starter was 2019. It was his first county final full stop. The teenage debutant wore the No.2 shirt. He was the new kid in a full-back line where Alan Cronin and Aidan O’Reilly were long established at the other end of the experience spectrum.

Murphy was again at corner-back for the delayed 2020 decider victory. He was at full-back on the concluding Sunday in 2022, ‘23, and ‘24. And then midfield 12 months ago.

That’s quite the positional departure. The roots of the move far, far from full-back?

“Robbie [O'Dwyer] just asked me if I would fancy playing out midfield in 2025. He put a good bit of faith and trust in me,” Murphy began.

“The new rules came in the same season and that probably made midfield even more important, trying to secure primary possession and being so involved in both attack and defence.

“It definitely hasn't been the easiest move because it's such a different position from being in the full-back line. It’s been difficult in different areas, but I'm really enjoying it. You're on a lot more ball, you can try and influence the game, but it's incredibly tough, as well, because you have to be wary of the game not passing you by. That's something I've had to learn the past two years, and I'm still learning, to be honest.” 

The 26-year-old is being modest. He was part of a middle-third department which spoiled and claimed seven of Carrigaline’s 12 first-half restarts two weeks ago. Nemo mined 0-4 from the seven opposition kickouts robbed. He was part of a middle-third department that had a strong hand in Nemo retaining 14 of their 19 semi-final kickouts.

Into the breeze in the second period, Nemo ‘keeper Micheál Aodh Martin correctly went short far more times than he went further afield. But such was the Carrigaline press on the hour mark after their opponents had closed to within the minimum, Martin was forced to go long.

Winning possession and winning just Nemo’s second long restart of the second half was Murphy. His teammates proceeded to play keep ball for almost three minutes.

With long-time Nemo midfielder Barry Cripps expected to again be absent for most of Sunday’s decider, Murphy and Alan O'Donovan's recent form will require replicating against the county’s market-leading middle-third department of Ian Maguire, Brian Hayes, Thomas Egan, Rickey Barrett, and Luke Hannigan.

Duties, of course, extend far beyond kick-out time as Nemo’s second-season midfielder was quick to learn and pick-up.

Away from impressive semi-final restart numbers, Murphy chipped in with a pair of white flags and assisted three more.

The transition to midfield is long passed transition stage.

“Being expected to kick a point,” quipped Bríain when asked what was the greatest culture shock after switching numbers on his back.

“As a full-back, you give the ball to our shooters, but when you're out there, you have to take a bit more accountability if you're in a position to score.

“Fielding is a huge thing in the new rules and being able to break ball and catch ball, so that's something I'm still trying to get to grips with. We were only saying there, we're very envious of lads who played basketball growing up because fielding is such a skill you learn from that that you can transfer on to football.

“You just have to get stuck into it, as much as possible, and keep on trying it. There's been some games where I felt I'd been good in that department, and a lot of games where I felt I hadn't been good enough.” 

Murphy is part of the first-ever Nemo team to lose three consecutive county finals. He is also part of the first-ever Nemo team to reach five consecutive county finals.

Room to appreciate such consistency is completely crowded out by the disappointment of coming up short to the Haven and the Barrs over the past three years. Unsurprising, really, such is the winning tradition of the jersey he wears.

Of the three final defeats, the most recent sticks most in the craw.

“Obviously to lose by a point is sickening, and to our rivals as well,” he said of the 2025 1-14 to 1-13 heartbreak against the Blues.

“To get to five is great, but at this level of sport, the winning and losing is what’s the main thing. If we'd lost three semi-finals, we'd still be feeling the same as when we lost three county finals. Maybe a bit more bitter because it's a final, but winning and losing is what we define ourselves on.

“It's not about getting to county finals. It's about winning them.”