Father Murphy's
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Father
Murphy’s
F
ather Murphy’s were founded
as a ladies football club by
members of the Fr Murphy’s
Hurling club, particularly
the Howlin family from Rathnure in
Wexford, that was in 1988. The club
grew from humble beginnings, playing
exhibition games at the various Irish
festivals around London.
In 1998 a camogie team was added
and in a very short while the club went
on to be a major force in London and All
Britain competitions.
In its short existence Father Murphy’s
Ladies have won four London County
Senior championships, including a three
in a row in 2007, 2008 and 2009, together
with senior leagues and Mary Feehan
cups. As well as reaching the All Ireland
Club championships on four occasions,
they also won the Dubai sevens on a trip
to the Middle East in 2008.
The camogie girls have been
equally as successful in an even shorter
time, winning the London Senior
championship in 2007 and 2008, then
18 Issue 12
going on to become the first club from
Britain to win a game in the All Ireland
club championship. They have
also captured the junior
and senior league as
well
as
winning
three International
Women’s
Day
tournaments
in
Birmingham.
The
Father
Murphy’s
have
been involved in
some astonishing
matches
over
their short history,
coming up from junior
ranks to win their first
county championship title
in 2001, convincingly dethroning
the reigning and long term champions
Parnell’s in a downpour at Ruislip, then
dominating London Ladies Football
from 2007 to 2009.
Then after a brief respite, coming
from nowhere in 2012 to reach the All
Britain Final, as complete underdogs,
conceding a goal from a penalty in the
first minute, six points down
with minutes to go and
then two wonder goals
to draw the game.
The following year,
2013, there was no
mistake, winning
the All Britain
Championship
in style, with one
of their matches
shown on Setanta
TV on route to the
final.
Camogie
too
has
had
its
share
of
excitement,
with
great performances in Dubai,
Birmingham and Ireland, becoming the
first team from Britain to win a game
in the club championship in Ireland,
getting to the final of the Dubai seven’s, a
thrilling 2007 senior league final against
Croydon, on a cold dark December day