John Murphy (hurler)

Infobox GAA player
code= Hurling
sport = Hurling


name = John ‘Curtis’ Murphy
irish = Seán Ó Murchú
fullname = John Murphy
nickname = Curtis
placeofbirth = Blackrock
countryofbirth = County Cork
dob =
dob =
height =
nickname = Curtis
county = Cork
province = Munster
club = Blackrock
clposition = Forward
clubs =
clyears =
clapps(points) =
clcounty =
clprovince=
clallireland =
counties = Cork
icposition = Forward
icyears = 1880s-1890s
icapps(points) =
icprovince = 1
icallireland = 1
nhl =
clupdate =
icupdate =

John 'Curtis' Murphy was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1880s and 1890s. Murphy captained Cork to All-Ireland victory in 1893.

Playing career

Club

Murphy played his club hurling with the famous Blackrock club in Cork and enjoyed much success. He won his first senior county title in 1887 as ‘the Rockies’ captured the very first Cork county title. Murphy added further county titles to his collection in 1889 and 1891. Blackrock quickly became the standard-bearers in the county and Murphy had further county victories with the famous club in 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897 and 1898.

Inter-county

Blackrock’s victory in the county championship in 1893 allowed them to represent Cork in the inter-county series. For the second year in-a-row the Cork inter-county team contained a mix of players, including Murphy who, as a Blackrock player, was appointed captain. That year Cork reached the Munster final where Limerick provided the opposition. On that occasion Cork retained their provincial title with a remarkable 5-3 to 0-0 victory, giving Murphy his first, and only, Munster title. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Cork against Kilkenny. It was the very first meeting of these two great rivals in the history of the championship. The game was fixed for Ashtown, however, upon arrival both teams refused to play there as somebody had neglected to cut the grass. After a long delay the goalposts were uprooted and both teams and their supporters headed to the Phoenix Park where the game took place after a long delay. The game itself turned into a rout as Cork score 6-8 to Kilkenny’s 0-2. It was Cork’s second All-Ireland title in-a-row and it was Murphy’s first, and indeed his only one.

Teams