Bhoys triumph in Thomas Murphy Cup

A LARGE crowd gathered for the annual integrated soccer tournament run by the Bray Traveller Community Development Group, where 12 teams fought hard for the Thomas Murphy Memorial Cup.

For ten days the 12 teams played against each other and were then whittled down to just two.

The Bhoys play against the Youth Leaders FC in the final held in Ballywaltrim Reconciliation Park.

Bhoys captain Graham Devlin received the trophy after they put up a good battle against the Youth Leaders FC, triumphing on a scoreline of 2 – 1 in the end.

The event has been running for 17 years, but only in the last two it has been re-named the Thomas Murphy Memorial Cup.

Organiser Jim O’Brien said: ‘ Thomas was a young man who sadly lost his life in a tragic car accident a few years ago. We decided to name it after him to keep his spirit alive as he was a very well respected man within the community.’

Jim said the good thing about sports is it brings everyone together no matter what race you are.

He sent his thanks to ‘everyone who came out’ to all the matches, even in the rain.

Mr O’Brien also thanked the Department of Justice, local organisation Be Well, Tom Bailey from Bray County Council for getting the grass cut leading up to the event and caretaker John Byrne from Ballywaltrim Reconciliation Park.

‘We are already looking forward to the next tournament in 2018,’ said Mr O’Brien.

Tournament winners The Bhoys: (back, from left) David Greene, Graham Devlin, Robbie Manley, Robbie Healy, (front) Barry Buckley, Jack Dunne, Lee O’Shaughnessy, Taigh Devlin and Darren Neiland.

The family of the late Thomas Murphy with the cup named in his honour: (from left) Sadie, Alice, John, Mary and Michael Murphy.

John Murphy presents the cup in the memory of son Thomas to the captain of The Bhoys, Graham Devlin.

Referee Brendan Coleman presents the Player of the Tournament award to Robbie Healy.