AUSOME
Eoin’s Down Under after memorable year as the No.1 No.1
EOIN MURPHY’S achievement in being named the PWC All Star goalkeeper is put into perspective when a couple of things are considered.
Not only was he the first player to win an All Star from outside the All-ireland semi-finalists since 2012, but the first goalkeeper to be chosen from a team that hadn’t reached the last four since Brendan Cummins of Tipperary back in 2000.
That was the first of five awards for Cummins, who was widely considered to be the best goalkeeper from what has been described as a golden era for the position, with
Davy Fitzgerald
(three All
Stars), Donal
Og Cusack
(two) and
Damien Fitzhenry (two) all at or near their peak in that mid-90s to mid-00s period.
But the quality is arguably as high, if not higher, right now and Murphy’s selection at the head of such a field, from which some played up to three Championship games after Kilkenny’s elimination, says much for the quality of his displays in 2018.
Similar to football, it’s probably the most difficult position in which to win the award now.
“Certainly so,” Murphy agrees, ahead of tomorrow’s game with Galway in Sydney for the Wild Geese Trophy.
“Anthony Nash has been at the top of his game in the last couple of years in terms of short puckouts, long-range frees and how you distribute the ball. He’s after bringing that to another level.
“Nickie
Quaid has been ultra-consistent as well and probably didn’t get enough plaudits until this year.
“If you look at any county in the top level in hurling, they all have top-class keepers. You look at the likes of Alan Nolan and Gary Maguire in Dublin, Mark Fanning in Wexford, and Galway have three top-class keepers in Fergal Flannery, Colm Callanan and James Skehill.
“It’s ultra-competitive, so even to be nominated is an achievement in itself. Obviously then to be picked by the selectors is a proud moment.”
Murphy’s closest challenger for the All Star this year was probably Limerick’s Quaid who, like the Glenmore man, plays outfield for his club.
“For myself and Nickie it’s more of a benefit for us that we play out the field because we are a lot more comfortable on the ball. The game is evolving so the keepers have to as well. I’d feel I’m a small part of that.”