Eoin Murphy talks about jumping from goalkeeping with Kilkenny to outfield with Glenmore, his club’s glorious history, and their push for senior status.
Eoin Murphy lets out a hearty laugh when asked about the telephone wires that used to lean over Glenmore’s old hurling pitch.
Things have changed in recent times but the memories remain, and the Kilkenny goalkeeper — who plays outfield for the club — is immediately taken back to those days.
This weekend, he will line out for Glenmore in an intermediate county final clash against Lisdowney, hoping to take a big step towards returning the club to senior level.
They were All-Ireland club championships back in 1991, won Leinster titles in 1990 and 1995, and were senior Kilkenny champions are recently as ’99.
“We got rid of that pitch now, we got rid of that pitch,” says Murphy of the telephone wire days, as the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) announced their partnership with Avonmore Protein Gold.
“When we used to be younger, don’t ask me how they got planning permission for it… it wasn’t just a single line, but a double line — so there was twice the chance of hitting it.
“You’d be playing your underage game and calling ‘wire’ and the ball would belt off the wire, so the referee would have to throw it in wherever lands.
“So regardless of whether you’re in attack or defending, that as it. It used to be chaotic.
“At least when you were playing challenge matches and if there wasn’t can appointed referee, you’d just playing on and we’d be half expecting it, and it used to work out great in our favour.”
Murphy also speaks with Shane Stapleton about jumping for goalkeeping with Kilkenny to outfield with Glenmore, his club’s glorious history, Eddie and Willie O’Connnor, and much more.
Dublin footballer Brian Fenton and Kilkenny hurler, Eoin Murphy, have teamed up with Avonmore Protein Gold in advance of the start of the 2020 Football and Hurling All-Ireland Championships. Fenton and Murphy who have nine All-Ireland Championship medals between them were representing the Gaelic Players Association, of whom along with the GAA, Avonmore Protein Milk are a long-standing supporter
