DESPITE HAILING FROM the GAA stronghold of Cratloe in southeast Clare, rugby has always been the first love for Ireland U20s back-row Luke Murphy.

The current holders of the Clare Senior Football Championship, Cratloe is also home to All-Ireland winning hurlers Podge Collins, Conor Ryan, Conor McGrath and Cathal McInerney – all of whom played a part in the Banner County’s All-Ireland SHC final replay success over Cork in 2013.

Murphy also featured prominently at underage for the club but ultimately decided to focus solely on rugby in recent years, a move that has paid significant dividends for the Shannon RFC star. Having made a strong contribution off the bench in a Six Nations opener away to France at the beginning of February, he was thrust into the starting line-up after an ankle injury ruled his Munster colleague Brian Gleeson out of contention.

Selected at No 8 for subsequent bouts with Italy, Wales and England, Murphy has also been named in this pivotal position for their final round clash against Scotland at Virgin Media Park tomorrow night (kick-off 7pm).

“I played GAA pretty much until two years ago. My Dad played rugby, he’s from Malahide. He would have played around Malahide. When he came into Limerick, he played a bit with Young Munster,” Murphy explained on Wednesday.

“I started with Shannon as early as I can remember really. I went to school in Limerick, in Ardscoil Ris and then just [played] through Munster and all that way through then,” Murphy explained.

“I wasn’t ever the greatest hurler. I always enjoyed it with the lads because they were the lads I grew up with, but rugby was pretty much always on my mind as my first sport.”

Murphy stretches for the ball during Ireland's draw against England. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

While a third consecutive Grand Slam is ruled out of the equation, Murphy has played a big part in ensuring Ireland are still in contention for another Six Nations title at this grade. With the game seemingly drifting away from his side, Murphy dotted down for a stoppage-time try in their gripping round four encounter with England at the Recreation Ground in Bath last Friday.

A routine Sean Naughton conversion meant the teams were ultimately inseparable, the 32-32 draw leaving Richie Murphy’s men a single point adrift of their English counterparts in advance of tomorrow night’s action.

Though this was a big moment for Murphy, he did his best to downplay his own role in what could yet prove to be one of the most decisive moments in this year’s Championship.

“Firstly, it was a real team try. We had a minute and a half left, and I know if I was watching the match, I would have thought that we wouldn’t have been able to bring it back, but just the team we have, everyone pulled together.

“When we were on the pitch, we knew we were going to score, it was just a matter of who it was. I was just the one who got lucky, after a few carries close to the line. After the match [I realised] it was a big try. At the moment you don’t think about it.”

In order to leapfrog England and get their hands on top spot in the Championship for a third successive year, Ireland may well require a bonus-point victory in Cork that is coupled with England failing to match this result in their duel against France at Stade du Hameau in Pau.

However, given they have no control over what happens in the latter game, Murphy insisted Ireland can only concentrate on their own showdown with the Scots.

“This week we’re focusing on ourselves. Making sure we get everything right and just do as much as we can on the pitch really. In general, I think we’ve all been really good as a group and everyone has known their roles. It has been really good,” Murphy added.