Barry Murphy became the third Munster player to announce his retirement from the professional game in recent weeks following on from that of Alan Quinlan and Ian Dowling. Like Dowling, Murphy’s decision was forced on him through injury, in the UL Bohemian man’s case a metatarsal in his left foot ultimately proving too troublesome to continue.
And like Dowling it was in season 2005/06 that Murphy announced himself to the Munster public when he made the number 13 jersey his own ahead of Trevor Halstead, Rob Henderson & League import Gary Connolly. In producing a Man of the Match performance against Sale Sharks he scored a 50 metre try but his season ended with a horrific ankle injury in Ravenhillย a few weeks later and he remained sidelined until October of that year.
On his return he played most of the remainder of the 06/07 season in the number 13 shirt but since then injury robbed Munster of one of their brighest talents. His stated intention is to take further medical advice with a view to returning at some stage to the amateur game and he remains totally positive about his career despite the diasppointment of it’s premature curtailment.
“People say to me I’ve been unlucky and while I appreciate what they mean I don’t see it that way. The past 7/8 years have been a wonderful time in my life, playing with Munster. I’ve made loads of friends here in this squad, enjoyed some great times and I wouldn’t trade a moment of it.”
He won 71 caps for Munster scoring 12 tries, 6 of those in the Heineken Cup and he also scored a try againstย the All Blacks in Thomond Park Stadium in 2008.
Meanwhile it has been confirmed that Laurie Fisher will join up with World Cup winning coach Jake White at the Brumbies when he returns to Australia.
