Death of Leo Murphy

Monday 20th February 2017

Leo Murphy R.I.P

Down GAA are saddened to learn today of the death of one of our great stalwarts Leo Murphy, full back on our All Ireland Winning Teams of 1960 and 61.

Leo was a native of Kilkeel and attended St Colman’s College in Newry, where he played on school teams with great friends Dan McCartan and Fintan Mussen amongst others winning a Mac Rory Cup medal in 1957.

In 1957 Leo made his senior debut at 18 years of age as a member of the Down Team defeated by Tyrone in the Dr Lagan Cup Final, where he was starting to make a mark at full back.

In 1958 he won his first County honours as a member of the Ulster Junior Championship wining team who had two points to spare over Antrim. An Ulster Senior Final appearance followed but there was to be defeat by Derry and on a day of great disappointment, the newspapers reported that a ‘Youthful Leo Murphy just out of Colleges Football had an outstanding game in the Down Defence’

In 1959 Leo won his first Ulster Senior Championship Medal and in 1960 he was now firmly established at Full Back as Down went on to win the Sam Maguire for the first time with that memorable win over Kerry. Leo had been a colossus in the defeat of Offaly in the Semi Final and in the final he showed again why he was a supreme full back of that era, when he got the better of Kerry full forward John Dowling.

In 1961 Kerry were conquered again in the All Ireland Semi Final and the Dublin Media marvelled at the high fielding of the “Ice Cool Kid from Mourne” Leo Murphy. Leo won his battle with Donie O’Hanlon in the final as Down triumphed over Offaly by 3-6 to 2-8 and Sam Maguire crossed the border again.

Leo won Ulster Championship medals in 1963, 65 and 66 before having to retire through injury in 1967 after the Ulster Final defeat by Cavan. Railway Cup honours came his way in 1963 and 1964 and in 1962 Leo represented Ireland in the match against the combined Universities where he faced fellow Down men Kevin and Sean O’Neill.

Leo played his Club football beginning with Lisnacree in 1957 before playing with Kilkeel and won a Down Junior Championship medal with the Club in 1960. In 1963 he lined out for Dundrum.  He played for Rostrevor up to 1975 when he retired from Club Football and later was to manage St Colman’s Lisnacree and Kilkeel in 1977/78 and 79 winning Division 4 in 1978.

In the early 1980’s Leo managed Rostrevor and in 1983/84 was All Ireland Fresher manager with Ulster Polytechnic and was at the helm in 1985 as Jordanstown entered the Sigerson Cup for the first time.

Down County Chairman Sean Rooney said “Leo Murphy was a giant of a man in every way, he commanded the square as a full back and was a man who gave great service to the County for over a decade.”

We extend our sympathies to his wife Sodilva, his son Leon, daughters Ciara and Tara, grandson Conor and remembering too his late son Donard John.

Funeral Arrangements for Leo

Leo will be reposing at the family home 23 Cloughmore Road Rostrevor, where respects may be paid between 1pm and 10pm on Tuesday 21st.

Removal of the remains from his family home on Wednesday at 10:15am for 11:00am Requiem Mass in St. Mary's Star of the Sea Church. Burial afterwards in Kilbroney Cemetery.

Family circle only in the home on the morning of the funeral please.

Newspaper article from 1963 when Leo lined out for Dundrum