From Thailand to Tullamore for Glenmore’s Eoin Murphy ahead of Leinster club final

As preparations for a Leinster club final go, Eoin Murphy's were not exactly standard.

The Kilkenny senior goalkeeper, and All-Ireland winner, is gearing up to finally face Offaly outfit Lusmagh this Saturday in the re-fixed AIB Leinster junior club provincial decider with his club Glenmore. The game was initially scheduled for early December, but when the floods put paid to that, the game is going ahead this Saturday in O'Connor Park Tullamore at 2pm. While most of Murphy's teammates had to try to keep fit over the Christmas period, the 25-year-old and his county colleague, Ger Aylward, enjoyed life in Asia as part of the Kilkenny senior squad team holiday. Murphy admits it was an entirely different way to spend the festive season.

"Everyone had a good Christmas but we had it with a bit of sun, myself and Ger. We were away on the team holiday and it was something a bit different. Once it was warm we didn't really mind."

https://www.instagram.com/p/_trJ1CxdZt/ The Kilkenny side enjoyed the best part of two weeks in both Cambodia and Thailand but after the Leinster final was re-fixed, Murphy and Aylward were keen to return to their clubs in decent shape. The club wing-forward reveals that there were at least efforts to do some work while on holidays.

"It was in the back of our minds that the Leinster final was coming up. We would have liked it to be a total break but it is a hugely important game for the club. We have got what we wanted out of 2015 to win a county final, and we're in the cliche of bonus territory but I'm not sure that we may ever be in a Leinster final again as this group of players so we had to take it seriously as well."

2016 will mark a quarter of a century since the club's proudest moment as they lifted the All-Ireland senior club title in 1991 with a victory over Patrickswell of Limerick. However, few of the current generation have achieved any success and despite Murphy and Aylward's efforts, as well as that of former senior inter-county star Richie Mullally, the club slipped to intermediate in 2005 and down to junior in 2014.

"30 years ago maybe the club was well used to Leinster, but we've fallen by the wayside in the last few seasons, and it's a new experience for everyone at the club to be in Leinster. I'm hurling since 16 at adult level and have never won anything before this season."

Murphy is now firmly established as Kilkenny's number one goalkeeper and coming from a county well used to All-Ireland club success at all grades, the onus is on club teams on Noreside to do their best in the provincial system. Murphy does concede that watching county colleagues with various different clubs secure titles in Croke Park has made him, and others, covet their glory.

"To look on at other clubs you would be a little bit jealous of course. At this time of year to play teams from other counties is wonderful and we'd support other teams. Ourselves and Ballyhale Shamrocks would have always had a traditional rivalry, and lots of people would have enjoyed seeing them winning. "But there was a bit of jealousy too, just because they had won something that we didn't get to experience until this year."

Murphy's first memory of playing for Kilkenny was in goals as a teenager but he was brought into the Kilkenny set up as an outfield player before being moved back to between the posts. The 25-year-old feels that playing in various positions can affect his club form, as he readjusts both mentally and physically to different roles.

"It can be difficult during the summer, when you might be away from the club scene for five or six weeks and you won't be playing hurling out in the field. You may have a week then 10 days to readjust when you get fully in with the club after the county finishes up. "It is hard to be sharp, to be on breaking ball as a wing forward, and the transition between both is so different. But playing both maybe you start to see things happening a little bit quicker and more aware of how lads are hurling. It's a benefit or hindrance depending on how long you are away from both."

Glenmore head into Saturday's game having not played a competitive game since their Leinster semi final win over St Fechins of Louth on the 22nd of November, while Lusmagh are similarly affected. Murphy admits his side will be favourites, but they are wary of the Offaly outfit.

"We're realistic as Lumsmagh will be playing senior club in Offaly next year, and that'a major advantage to them. We're up against it and they're can be no slip-ups if we are to be in an All-Ireland final."  

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