‘Goal to manage in League of Ireland’
KENTSTOWN ROVERS TRIM CELTIC 0 2
DROGHEDA native Alan Murphy seems to bring success wherever he goes.
The current Trim Celtic manager wrapped up the NEFL Premier Division title earlier in the year and on Saturday he added the Tully Bookmakers Challenge Cup to his haul with a 2-0 win over Kentstown Rovers at a windswept MDL grounds.
Murphy’s side went down to 10 men inside the first 45 minutes, with captain James Goggins seeing red, but two second-half penalties from sub Colm Carney ensured the cup would be heading to Trim.
Murphy took the reins in Trim in 2018 for the short season, and while the Meath side finished third in the table and lost in the cup final, the Drogheda man learned quickly and amassed a squad with depth and quality at all levels and that has been the cornerstone of his run to success this year.
Reflecting on the season the day after beating Kentstown, Murphy is evidently annoyed not to have had the chance to secure a treble.
‘It’s a fantastic achievement. It’s been a long season, but I think it’s been well deserved,’ he began.
‘Unfortunately, ourselves and
Muirhevnamor were put out of the Kilmessan Shield, so we didn’t have a chance to do the famous treble,’ added Murphy.
‘I came into Trim last year in the short season, so it was a bit of a baptism of fire and we were beaten in the cup final last year.
‘I knew we probably needed to freshen up the squad with a couple of new players, so I put together a really, really big squad and this year it’s proved worthwhile.
‘It’ a bit of a cliché, but competition for places helps that and you’re able to freshen it up, and while it sounds easy it’s difficult to explain to players who want to play week in and week out. And that’s paid dividends.’
As a player Murphy had four seasons with Drogheda United and went on to enjoy two FAI Cup successes and European experience with Longford Town.
After retiring from the professional game, he kept playing and much more recently he was part of the hugely successful Newfoundwell team who enjoyed a run to the FAI Junior Cup quarter-finals.
Since entering management he he has also had successes with Navan Cosmos.
Winning has become a habit, although he does have experience of losing on big days, again with Longford Town in 2001.
Trim host Kilnamanagh on Saturday in the FAI Junior Cup fourth round in what will be their last game of the year.
Should they win, they will be in the last 32 of the national competition and return to action in January.
Murphy has no qualms about his side’s motivation, and the fact they have had so much success should see them go into the game full of confidence.
Given all the success he’s already enjoyed as a manager, as well as a stellar playing career in the League of Ireland, Murphy might be considered good material to manage in the League of Ireland, and he certainly isn’t ruling out that prospect.
When asked about his ambitions in that regard, he replied: ‘I’ve done my coaching badges in the UK. Myself and Vinny Perth were managers at Malahide United a few years ago and he’s one of my best friends in football, so yeah, of course, if the opportunity arises.
‘That’s why you set out to be as a coach and that’s why you set out to do your coaching badges - with a view that something maybe in the future might arise, but you just set out to keep doing what you’re doing and if that works out you never know.’