"The double is on," former Kilkenny hurler Paul Murphy, turned Cats footballer, said on Sunday. "People said the double couldn't be done any more."
At Croke Park, Kilkenny defeated New York 3-12 to 1-9 to win the All-Ireland Junior Football Championship. Murphy, a four-time All-Ireland senior hurling winner with Kilkenny, played at fullback. The 33-year-old retired from inter-county hurling 18 months ago.
"I said to the boys before the game that I was lucky enough to play a junior club All-Ireland with my club (Danesfort) here, and I have been lucky to play senior All-Ireland finals with Kilkenny," Murphy told RTÉ Radio One's Sunday Sport.
"What I learned in that time is that it’s not really about how many people are in a stadium, it’s making the journey with a great group of players.
"There’s a cup at stake, this was a brilliant day for Kilkenny football. July, Croke Park, sunny weather before one of the biggest games in the GAA calendar in Kerry and Dublin.
"It’s a great feeling, we really loved today and that doesn’t change if you have a few All-Irelands and played on the big days."
10 July 2022; Kilkenny manager Christy Walsh celebrates with Paul Murphy after their side's victory in the GAA Football All-Ireland Junior Championship Final match between Kilkenny and New York at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Murphy said that the chance to line out in Croke Park was a carrot dangled in front of players by manager Christy Walsh when he went looking for panel members.
"You're aware you have played and a lot of lads maybe have questions about Croke Park before you come," said Murphy.
"You just have to tell lads that Croke Park is here to be enjoyed, it’s not there to be daunting, looking up to the stands and thinking this yoke is going to collapse in on top of you.
"It's there to be enjoyed and to go out and relish every minute of it because you never know when your last day is going to be.
"I would have said to lads that 'I thought my days in Croke Park were finished, a lot of lads here never played it, it would be a pity not to go out and enjoy stepping on the pitch'."
Murphy hopes that one day Kilkenny will be competitive in football like Kerry are in hurling.
"I remember watching Breaking Ball years ago in the '90s and there was a man on talking about Kerry hurling and he said he thought it was a pipe dream that Kerry hurling might be someway competitive," said Murphy.
"Every week during the year, Kerry were putting in really good performances, and they are competitive now. They’re stepping up, they’re trying their best to get up even into Munster and being competitive.
"Kilkenny is a long way back from that but it just shows that the road is there. Keep sticking at it. Make small gains each year. That's what we're trying to do."
The Home of Football pic.twitter.com/eGohpH190J
— Paul Murphy (@PaulMurphykk) July 10, 2022
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