Murphy calls time on rich coaching career
THE curtains may well have come down on the long and productive coaching career of Blessington’s John Murphy after he revealed he was resigned as manager of the Blessington FC Leinster Senior League side last weekend.
A hugely respected coach and manager across Gaelic football and soccer, John has been passing on his expertise since the 1992/93 season and has played a role in the development of a large number of footballers from across Wicklow including some of those now donning the county jersey.
Murphy was part of the coaching team over the first football development squad in Wicklow along with the likes of Hugh Kenny and Liam McGraynor in 1999 and joined up with Gail Dunne with the Wicklow under-21 team in 2000.
A spell with Blessington FC followed where John led them to a magical double in the AUL with Nivea for Men Cup and Jim Cullen Cup titles coming back to West Wicklow during his tenure before he threw his lot in with the Blessington GAA senior football team.
From 2010 to 2016 John played a pivotal role in underage Wicklow underage development when he moved up through the ages from under-14 to Minor before moving on to manage the Newtown Seniors for two years.
‘Great memories,’ is how John Murphy described his time as a manager and a coach. ‘There are loads of highlights. We won a few Calor Gas finals with Blessington FC, winning the league with Blessington GAA along with Paddy O’Connor and coaching some great young players in the Wicklow squads such as Chris O’Brien and Eoin Murtagh and so many others,’ he added.
John says that knee trouble has caused his decision to step away from Blessington FC and coaching in general.
During the LSL season that has been postponed and is unlikely to finish due to the Covid-19 emergency he underwent a knee replacement which followed a partial knee replacement on his other knee which has already been completed.
Blessington AFC expressed their gratitude to John Murphy in a Facebook post last weekend.
‘Blessington FC would like to say a big thank you to John Murphy for his efforts with our senior squad over the 2019 -2020 season.
‘Unfortunately, it looks like the season is unlikely to resume and Johnny has made the decision to stand down as our senior manager.
‘This was Johnny’s second spell in charge of the senior squad and the highlight of the season came via the away win under lights against St. James Gate in the Polikoff Cup.
‘Johnny also introduced some of our current U18 squad into the senior fold during the season and the transition for the U18’s leaving that squad this year should be made easier as a result next season.
‘Johnny had also experienced success with the senior squad some years ago in the Jimmy Cullen Cup and the Nivea for Men Shield.
‘The Club would like to wish John, Betty and family all the best for the future,’ they said.