Minor and under-21
Murphy first played for Kilkenny as a member of the minor team during the 2008 Leinster Championship. He made his first appearance for the team on 6 April 2008 when he lined out in goal in Kilkenny's 3–12 to 0–15 defeat of Wexford. On 6 July 2008,Murphy was again in goal when he collected a Leinster Championship medal following a 1–19 to 0–12 defeat of Wexford in the final. On 7 September 2008,Kilkenny faced Galway in the All-Ireland final. Although held scoreless for much of the second half,Murphy collected a winners' medal following the 3–06 to 0–13 victory. [6]
Murphy was drafted onto the Kilkenny under-21 team as sub-goalkeeper in advance of the Leinster Championship. He won a Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship medal as an unused substitute on 15 July 2009 following Kilkenny's 2–20 to 1–09 defeat of Dublin in the final. [7] Murphy was again an unused substitute on 13 September 2009 when Kilkenny suffered a 0–15 to 0–14 defeat by Clare in the All-Ireland final. [8]
On 9 June 2010,Murphy made his first appearance for the Kilkenny under-21 team. He scored three points from right corner-forward following Kilkenny's 2–31 to 0–08 defeat of Offaly. [9]
Murphy was eligible for the under-21 grade for a third and final season in 2011. He made his final appearance in the grade on 7 June 2011 and top scored with 0–05 in the 1–16 to 2–12 defeat by Wexford. [10]
Senior
Murphy was added to the Kilkenny senior team as third-choice goalkeeper for the 2011 season. On 3 July 2011,he won a Leinster Championship medal as a member of the extended panel following Kilkenny's 4–17 to 1–15 defeat of Dublin in the final. [13] Murphy again failed to make the match-day panel but was on the extended panel when Kilkenny faced Tipperary in the All-Ireland final on 4 September 2011. He ended the game with an All-Ireland medal following the 2–17 to 1–16 victory. [14]
Murphy was promoted to second-choice goalkeeper behind David Herity during the 2012 National League. He made his first appearance on 11 March 2012 when he lined out in goal in a 2–21 to 1–15 defeat of Waterford. [15] On 6 May 2012,Murphy won a National League medal as an unused substitute following Kilkenny's 3–21 to 0–16 defeat of Cork in the final. [16] He was retained as second-choice goalkeeper for the Leinster Championship and was an unused substitute on 8 July 2012 when Kilkenny suffered a 2–21 to 2–11 defeat by Galway in the final. [17] On 9 September 2012,Murphy was amongst the substitutes when Kilkenny drew 2–13 to 0–19 with Galway in the All-Ireland final. [18] On 30 September 2012,he won his second All-Ireland medal as an unused substitute following Kilkenny's 3–22 to 3–11 defeat of Galway in the All-Ireland final replay. [19]
On 5 May 2013,Murphy lined out in goal when Kilkenny faced Tipperary in the National League final. He ended the game with a second successive winners' medal - his first on the field of play - following the 2–17 to 0–20 victory. [20] [21] Murphy made his Leinster Championship debut on 9 June 2013 when he lined out in goal in Kilkenny's 0–26 to 4–09 defeat of Offaly. [22]
On 4 May 2014,Murphy was selected in goal when Kilkenny faced Tipperary in a second successive National League final. He ended the game with a third successive winners' medal following the 2–25 to 1–27 victory. [23] Murphy lined out in Kilkenny's opening three games in the subsequent Leinster Championship but returned to the substitutes' bench for the Leinster final against Dublin on 6 July 2014. He ended the game with a second winners' medal as an unused substitute following the 0–24 to 1–09 victory. [24] On 7 September 2014,Murphy was restored to the goalkeeping position when Kilkenny drew 3–22 to 1–28 with Tipperary in the All-Ireland final. [25] He was again in goal for the replay on 27 September 2014 and ended the game with a third All-Ireland medal - his first on the field of play - following the 2–17 to 2–14 victory. [26] Murphy ended the season by receiving an All-Star nomination. [27]
Murphy won his third Leinster Championship medal - his first on the field of play - on 5 July 2015 following Kilkenny's 1–25 to 2–15 defeat of Galway in the Leinster final. [28] On 6 September 2015,he was again in goal for the All-Ireland final against Galway. Murphy ended the game with a fourth All-Ireland medal following the 1–22 to 1–18 victory. [29] He ended the season by being nominated for a second All-Star award. [30]
Murphy won a fourth Leinster Championship medal on 3 July 2016 following a 1–26 to 0–22 defeat of Galway in the final. [31] He was again in goal for the All-Ireland final against Tipperary on 4 September 2016. Murphy ended the game on the losing side following a 2–29 to 2–20 defeat. [32] He ended the season by being named in the goalkeeping position on the All-Star team. [33]
On 8 April 2018,Murphy was in goal when Kilkenny faced Tipperary in the National League final. He scored a point from a free and collected a fourth winners' medal following the 2–23 to 2–17 victory. [34] Murphy was again selected in goal when Kilkenny faced Galway in the Leinster final on 1 July 2018. He scored a point from a free in the 0-18 apiece draw. [35] He retained his position for the replay a week later,however,Kilkenny suffered a 1–28 to 3–15 defeat. [36] Murphy was later named in the goalkeeping position on the All-Star team. [37]
Murphy missed the opening rounds of the Leinster Championship in 2019 but was back in goal for the final on 30 June 2019. He scored a point from a long-range free in the 1–23 to 0–23 defeat by Wexford. [38] Murphy again lined out in goal when Kilkenny suffered a 3–25 to 0–20 defeat by Tipperary in the 2019 All-Ireland final. [39] He ended the season by being nominated for an All-Star award. [40]
On 14 November 2020,Murphy won his fifth Leinster Championship medal after keeping a clean sheet in goal in the 2–20 to 0–24 defeat of Galway in the final. [41]
