June 2011

When the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy announced it would be creating an all-time team of the last five finals, Carlisle United’s Peter Murphy was always going to be one of the first names on the sheet.

The number 6 from Dublin can boast a romance story as compelling than that of William and Kate and more than deserves his inclusion into the trophy’s all time side, thanks to an extraordinary afternoon at the Home of Football on Sunday April 3.

Peter Murphy (Carlisle United)

Where do we start? Peter Murphy wrote his own script in the 2011 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final, in one of the most endearing football stories in recent times.

Not only was the long serving Dubliner embarking upon his fourth final with the Cumbrians, but he did so on the back of a high profile error against Southampton the year before, conceding a penalty for handball under little pressure.

As if all that wasn’t enough, Murphy had just become a Dad for the first time barely 36 hours before the final, leaving his wife and boy to travel down to London at the 11th hour.

Everyone should have known what was coming next…

…A clinical volley worthy of a striker to decide the game against Brentford and a man-of-the-match award to boot. Daddy Cool or what?

Murphy explained: “The manager told me to get down as soon as possible and get some rest because I’d be training the next day. That tells you you’ve got a very good chance of playing.

“On the one hand I wasn’t too happy because I was shattered, but I didn’t mind at all.”

"It was the best two days of my life," Murphy added. "It was very nice to have Lisa and my baby here to watch. It was a tiring few days for me, I managed to get a few hours of rest in the team hotel and the win made it all worthwhile."

Murphy has made well over 300 appearances for Carlisle United and is the club’s current longest serving player.

He is a former Ireland under-19 and under-21 international, playing in the UEFA Under-19 Championships in 1999.

In May 2007, Murphy received his first call up to the senior Republic of Ireland squad for the two-game American tour against Ecuador and Bolivia.

Murphy's international début came against Bolivia, making him the first Carlisle United player to win full international honours while with the Brunton Park club since Eric Welsh, who won four caps for Northern Ireland in the 1960s.

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