Brian Murphy (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Brian Murphy is an Irish
footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Queens Park Rangers. Murphy previously played for Bohemians
, Swansea City, Manchester City
and Ipswich Town.
, Hurling
and Rugby Union
. It was rugby that Murphy wished to pursue as a career, playing as an outside half for his school and club. He was also the kicker for his teams, and once confessed to being able to "boom a ball a long way from about 14 years old". This is now something that he has developed a reputation for as a professional goalkeeper. At 15 years of age, Murphy had rugby trials with Ireland but ultimately decided not to pursue when Manchester City
offered him a place in their youth set-up.
where the competition for the No. 1 jersey included David Seaman
, Nicky Weaver
and Carlo Nash
, but made the 1st team bench on a number of occasions in the old 1st Division and the Premier Division. Loaned out to Oldham Athletic in 2002–03, he made his senior début during a loan period with Peterborough United
that same season away to Brentford
in League One in May 2003.
signed him for Swansea City on a free transfer two months later, and he made 13 appearances for them during the 2003–04 season. He was frozen out the following two seasons by the form of Frenchman Willy Gueret
.
manager Sean Connor
. He made an instant impression in pre-season friendlies, giving him the edge over on-loan Aston Villa
goalkeeper Lee Boyle
. Murphy kept 19 clean sheets in his 29 league games during the 2007 season to help Bohs to the best defensive record in the league.
Murphy ended rumours linking him to Bristol City
by signing an improved contract at Bohemians in November 2007.
On 11 January 2008, he was voted "Goalkeeper of the Year" for the 2007 season by the Soccer Writers Association of Ireland.
Murphy was voted (by the supporters) Eircom League of Ireland Premier Division Player of the Season for 2008 receiving 54% of the votes on eircomloi.ie, the league's official website after keeping 20 clean sheets in 33 league games. He added a FAI Cup winners medal to his League winning one when saving two penalties in a penalty shoot-out win over Derry City
on 23 November. And the honours kept coming for Murphy as he was announced as the SWAI Player of the Month for November.
On 4 December 2008, he regained the "Goalkeeper of the Year" award as voted by the Soccer Writers Association of Ireland and his great season was further recognised on 8 February 2009 when he became the first goalkeeper to be awarded League of Ireland Player of the Year for the 2008 season.
Murphy continued his outstanding form through the start of the 2009 season and excelled in Bohs UEFA Champions League
qualifying tie against Red Bull Salzburg, saving a penalty kick
from Austrian international Marc Janko
at the Red Bull Arena
. However Murphy and Bohs would depart that competition, cruelly losing 2–1 on aggregate.
Back in domestic action, 17 August 2009 Murphy scored and saved twice in a penalty shoot-out against Dundalk
in the fourth round of the FAI Cup to help Bohs through to the next round. He then added to his collection of medals in September as Bohs beat Waterford United in the final of the League of Ireland Cup. And he wasn't done yet as a great run of form towards the end of the season helped Murphy and Bohs to their second League of Ireland
Premier Division title in a row, winning by 4 points from closest rivals Shamrock Rovers.
The game against Bray Wanderers on 6 November 2009 would be Murphy's 97th and last league appearance for Bohs before his move to Ipswich Town
. In those 97 games, Murphy kept an outstanding 63 clean sheets.
during the January 2010 transfer window. This was announced on the same day that Bohemians won their second successive League of Ireland title, and Murphy received his first call into the Irish senior squad. At the start of the January transfer window, Murphy formalised his transfer to Portman Road.
His first appearance in the Town squad came on 10 January 2010 against Leicester City
. Arran Lee-Barrett
was to start in goal after showing impressive form late in 2009, with Murphy covering on the bench. However, Murphy was injured in the warm up at Leicester and was subsequently unable to fulfil his place on the bench for Town. The injury was knee ligaments and kept Murphy out until February, when he made a reserves appearance in a 1–0 win at Norwich
. Lee-Barrett was, by this time, beginning to lose the form he had previously shown – something that was highlighted in a humiliating defeat away to table propping Peterborough
. The following game Murphy was handed his debut against Sheffield Wednesday
and kept a clean sheet on February 20, 2010.
Murphy impressed in that game, especially when he denied the Owls with a close range, reflex save in the first half. He retained his place in goal for the next game with Scunthorpe
only conceding one goal. His home debut came against Bristol City
on 27 January 2010, making one extremely memorable and spectacular save from David Clarkson
. Indeed, it turned out to be a game for the goalkeepers, because for all Ipswich dominated, it was Murphy's opposite number, Dean Gerken
who stole the headlines with a spectacular performance that included five world class saves.
On 7th May 2011 it was confirmed that Murphy had rejected a new contract and would be leaving the club.
qualifiers and finals in 2002 until a shoulder injury allowed Henderson to reclaim his place. He has been capped since at under-20 and under-21 levels.
On Friday 6 November 2009, Murphy was called up to the Ireland squad for the World Cup Play-Offs against France following the withdrawal of Coventry City’s
Keiren Westwood.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Queens Park Rangers. Murphy previously played for Bohemians
Bohemian F.C.
Bohemian F.C. , more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. Bohemians compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the third most successful club in League of Ireland football history, having won the League of Ireland title 11...
, Swansea City, Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
and Ipswich Town.
Club career
Murphy played football and hurling with one of his primary schools, Killea BNS in Dunmore East. As a teenager, Murphy did not harbour ambitions to be a professional football player. He was involved in many sports as a child including Gaelic FootballGaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
, Hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
and Rugby Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. It was rugby that Murphy wished to pursue as a career, playing as an outside half for his school and club. He was also the kicker for his teams, and once confessed to being able to "boom a ball a long way from about 14 years old". This is now something that he has developed a reputation for as a professional goalkeeper. At 15 years of age, Murphy had rugby trials with Ireland but ultimately decided not to pursue when Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
offered him a place in their youth set-up.
Manchester City
Murphy spent four seasons with Manchester CityManchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
where the competition for the No. 1 jersey included David Seaman
David Seaman
David Andrew Seaman MBE is a former English football goalkeeper who played for several clubs, most notably Arsenal. He retired from the game on 13 January 2004, following a recurring shoulder injury...
, Nicky Weaver
Nicky Weaver
Nicholas James "Nicky" Weaver is an English footballer who is a goalkeeper currently playing for League One club Sheffield Wednesday. Weaver is a former England under-21 international.-Career:...
and Carlo Nash
Carlo Nash
Carlo James Nash is an English footballer who plays for Stoke City as a goalkeeper.Nash started his career at non-League Rossendale United and Clitheroe before being signed by Crystal Palace and then moved back north to Stockport County...
, but made the 1st team bench on a number of occasions in the old 1st Division and the Premier Division. Loaned out to Oldham Athletic in 2002–03, he made his senior début during a loan period with Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
that same season away to Brentford
Brentford
Brentford is a suburban town in west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Brent, west-southwest of Charing Cross. Its former ceremonial county was Middlesex.-Toponymy:...
in League One in May 2003.
Swansea City
Brian FlynnBrian Flynn
Brian Flynn, is a Welsh football manager and former Welsh international player.On 13 September 2010 Flynn was confirmed caretaker manager of the Wales national football team after John Toshack stepped down...
signed him for Swansea City on a free transfer two months later, and he made 13 appearances for them during the 2003–04 season. He was frozen out the following two seasons by the form of Frenchman Willy Gueret
Willy Guéret
Willy July Guéret is a French professional footballer with Kettering Town. He is a goalkeeper.-Playing career:...
.
Bohemians
Murphy was one of the first players signed by BohemiansBohemian F.C.
Bohemian F.C. , more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. Bohemians compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the third most successful club in League of Ireland football history, having won the League of Ireland title 11...
manager Sean Connor
Sean Connor
Sean Connor is a former footballer and manager currently without a club.-Playing career:Connor began his career at Distillery in the Irish League where he played for one full season before moving to Port Vale...
. He made an instant impression in pre-season friendlies, giving him the edge over on-loan Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
goalkeeper Lee Boyle
Lee Boyle
Lee Boyle is an Irish footballer currently playing for Fanad United.-Career:Having failed to get a look in at his first club Aston Villa, Sean Connor brought him to Bohemian F.C...
. Murphy kept 19 clean sheets in his 29 league games during the 2007 season to help Bohs to the best defensive record in the league.
Murphy ended rumours linking him to Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
by signing an improved contract at Bohemians in November 2007.
On 11 January 2008, he was voted "Goalkeeper of the Year" for the 2007 season by the Soccer Writers Association of Ireland.
Murphy was voted (by the supporters) Eircom League of Ireland Premier Division Player of the Season for 2008 receiving 54% of the votes on eircomloi.ie, the league's official website after keeping 20 clean sheets in 33 league games. He added a FAI Cup winners medal to his League winning one when saving two penalties in a penalty shoot-out win over Derry City
Derry City F.C.
Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division...
on 23 November. And the honours kept coming for Murphy as he was announced as the SWAI Player of the Month for November.
On 4 December 2008, he regained the "Goalkeeper of the Year" award as voted by the Soccer Writers Association of Ireland and his great season was further recognised on 8 February 2009 when he became the first goalkeeper to be awarded League of Ireland Player of the Year for the 2008 season.
Murphy continued his outstanding form through the start of the 2009 season and excelled in Bohs UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
qualifying tie against Red Bull Salzburg, saving a penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
from Austrian international Marc Janko
Marc Janko
Marc Janko is an Austrian football player, who currently plays for Dutch Eredivisie side FC Twente.Janko has in various seasons been known as a goal-getter, scoring 77 goals in 121 Austrian Bundesliga matches...
at the Red Bull Arena
Red Bull Arena (Salzburg)
The Red Bull Arena, known during and before the Euro 2008 football championship as the EM Stadion , is a football stadium in Wals-Siezenheim, a municipality in the suburb of Salzburg, Austria. It was officially opened in March 2003 and is the home ground of Red Bull Salzburg. Previously, the club...
. However Murphy and Bohs would depart that competition, cruelly losing 2–1 on aggregate.
Back in domestic action, 17 August 2009 Murphy scored and saved twice in a penalty shoot-out against Dundalk
Dundalk F.C.
Dundalk Football Club is a professional Irish football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. The club currently play in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. Founded in 1903, they are the second most successful team, in terms of trophies won, in the history of the League of Ireland. The...
in the fourth round of the FAI Cup to help Bohs through to the next round. He then added to his collection of medals in September as Bohs beat Waterford United in the final of the League of Ireland Cup. And he wasn't done yet as a great run of form towards the end of the season helped Murphy and Bohs to their second League of Ireland
League of Ireland
The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
Premier Division title in a row, winning by 4 points from closest rivals Shamrock Rovers.
The game against Bray Wanderers on 6 November 2009 would be Murphy's 97th and last league appearance for Bohs before his move to Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
. In those 97 games, Murphy kept an outstanding 63 clean sheets.
Ipswich Town
In late 2009 Murphy agreed to join Ipswich TownIpswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
during the January 2010 transfer window. This was announced on the same day that Bohemians won their second successive League of Ireland title, and Murphy received his first call into the Irish senior squad. At the start of the January transfer window, Murphy formalised his transfer to Portman Road.
His first appearance in the Town squad came on 10 January 2010 against Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
. Arran Lee-Barrett
Arran Lee-Barrett
Arran Lee-Barrett is an English footballer who currently plays for Ipswich Town.Lee-Barrett signed for Ipswich in August 2009, from being a free agent.-Career:...
was to start in goal after showing impressive form late in 2009, with Murphy covering on the bench. However, Murphy was injured in the warm up at Leicester and was subsequently unable to fulfil his place on the bench for Town. The injury was knee ligaments and kept Murphy out until February, when he made a reserves appearance in a 1–0 win at Norwich
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
. Lee-Barrett was, by this time, beginning to lose the form he had previously shown – something that was highlighted in a humiliating defeat away to table propping Peterborough
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
. The following game Murphy was handed his debut against Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
and kept a clean sheet on February 20, 2010.
Murphy impressed in that game, especially when he denied the Owls with a close range, reflex save in the first half. He retained his place in goal for the next game with Scunthorpe
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
only conceding one goal. His home debut came against Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
on 27 January 2010, making one extremely memorable and spectacular save from David Clarkson
David Clarkson
David Clarkson is a Scottish footballer who plays for Championship team Bristol City. Clarkson, who plays as a striker, represented Scotland twice in 2008...
. Indeed, it turned out to be a game for the goalkeepers, because for all Ipswich dominated, it was Murphy's opposite number, Dean Gerken
Dean Gerken
Dean Jeffrey Gerken is an English footballer who plays for Bristol City as a goalkeeper.-Colchester United:Gerken was born in Southend-on-Sea. He started his career at Southend United as a youngster before moving to Essex rivals Colchester United. As a teenager he attracted the attention of...
who stole the headlines with a spectacular performance that included five world class saves.
On 7th May 2011 it was confirmed that Murphy had rejected a new contract and would be leaving the club.
Queens Park Rangers
After impressing on trial it had been confirmed Murphy signed a two-year deal with Queens Park Rangers. He made his first start for the club in a 0–2 loss to Rochdale in the League Cup.International career
Murphy was a regular in the Ireland under-19 squad under Brian Kerr and was preferred to Aston Villa goalkeeper Wayne Henderson for the European under-19 Championships2002 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
The 2002 UEFA Under-19 Championship was held in Norway between 21 July and 28 July 2002. The top three finishers in each group qualified for the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship. Players born on or after 1 January 1983 were eligible to participate in this competition.It was the first tournament...
qualifiers and finals in 2002 until a shoulder injury allowed Henderson to reclaim his place. He has been capped since at under-20 and under-21 levels.
On Friday 6 November 2009, Murphy was called up to the Ireland squad for the World Cup Play-Offs against France following the withdrawal of Coventry City’s
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
Keiren Westwood.
Honours
- League of IrelandLeague of IrelandThe League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
: 2- Bohemians – 2008, 2009
- FAI CupFAI CupThe Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland...
: 1- Bohemians – 2008
- League of Ireland Cup: 1
- Bohemians – 2009
- SWAI Goalkeeper of the Year: 3
- Bohemians – 2007, 2008, 2009
- League of Ireland Player of the Year: 1
- Bohemians – 2008
- Bohemians Player of the Year: 1
- 2007
- PFAI Team of the Year: 3
- 2007, 2008, 2009