Mick Murphy (Tipperary hurler)

Mick Murphy

Personal information
Irish name	Mícheál Ó Murchú
Sport	Hurling
Position	Half-forward
Born	1940 Thurles, County Tipperary
Club(s)
Years	Club
	Thurles Sarsfields
Inter-county(ies)
Years	County
1960-1964	Tipperary
Inter-county titles
Munster titles	1
All Irelands	1

Michael 'Mick' Murphy (born 1940) is a former Irish sportsperson. He played senior hurling with Tipperary from 1960 until 1964.

Early life

Mick Murphy was born in Thurles, County Tipperary in 1940. He grew up on the same street as the legendary Jimmy Doyle and they quickly became best friends. They both played hurling together and later they sat beside each other at school when they attended Thurles CBS. It was here that Murphy's hurling skills were nurtured and he won Dean Ryan Cup and Croke Cup medals. He missed out on the chance of winning a Harty Cup medal because he had left the school to work.

Playing career

Club

Murphy played his club hurling with the famous Thurles Sarsfields club. The club had much success in the 1960s and Murphy won several Tipperary SHC titles on that great team.

Iner-county

Murphy quickly came to the attention of the inter-county selectors and he joined the Tipperary minor team in the mid-1950s. He won an All-Ireland medal with the minors in 1957, however, he had to wait another few years to be considered for the senior team. Murphy played junior hurling with Tipp in 1959. He joined the Tipp senior team in 1960, however, he couldn't command a regular place on the team. When he did play Murphy played in the half-forward line.

He was a substitute when Tipp won Munster and All-Ireland titles in 1961 and 1962. He was appointed captain of the team in 1964 and guided the side to National Hurling League and Munster Championship victories. In the All-Ireland final Murphy's side easily defeated Kilkenny and he won his first, and only, All-Ireland medal.

Later that same year Murphy sustained a serious injury in a club game against Roscrea when he fell awkwardly and damaged his knee cartilage, thus bringing down the curtain on a short but glittering hurling career at the young age of 24.

Preceded by Séamus Cleere (Kilkenny)

All-Ireland Senior Hurling winning captain 1964

Succeeded by Jimmy Doyle (Tipperary)

Teams

References

• Brendan Fullum, Captains of the Ash, (Wolfhound Press, 2002)

Persondata
Name	Murphy, Mick
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1940
Place of birth	Thurles
Date of death
Place of death