30 MINUTES AFTER the final whistle at Pairc Sean MacCumhaill, Ballybofey, the floodlights went on full blast and the PA system announced, ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.’
Meanwhile, Michael Murphy was being spirited the 10 kilometres out the road to the Donegal training centre in Convoy to be put on ice until the trip next weekend to Tuam Stadium to take on Galway.
Or perhaps, given his lean and hungry look, hollow of cheekbone and defined of calf muscles, he jogged the distance as a warmdown to shake out any lactic acid.
None of that happened of course, but you get the feeling that if a minder hadn’t have come to take Murphy into the sanctity of the dressing room, he’d still be out there on the pitch, signing autographs, handing gloves out, bowing his head to be rubbed for good luck, offering his hem to be touched by the people of Donegal.
His popularity among the people is easily explainable.
In Jim McGuinness’ autobiography, he noted how people were able to get hold of his jealousy-guarded phone number and text him congratulations after a big win.
He and Murphy discussed the sheer volume of texts and messages they were each receiving. Murphy’s phone number was more readily available and as such the level of correspondence was almost overwhelming.
And while McGuinness’ inclination was the leave them off, he was astonished to learn that Murphy replied to every single one.
He is not quite the most influential figure in Donegal GAA – Brian McEniff’s winning record as player, player-manager, manager and even a spell doubling up as county chairman and county manager leaves him way out in front on that debate.
But he has something about McEniff’s personable nature and whatever love and devotion he takes in from the Donegal public, he radiates twice as much back.
Has any player, for example, been pictured warming up in front of an advertising hoarding of his own business?
How many players can compete for a trophy with his name as the main sponsor? How many counties have one man sponsoring every adult competition, football and hurling in the county, as Donegal do with Michael Murphy Sports and Leisure?
Little wonder that the Aussie Rules clubs tracking him from 2007 and who kept coming back and knocking on his door, had no chance.
Being made captain of the team in 2011, fresh out of the U21 side, placed him in a position of authority from very early on. He spent a dozen years as captain, probably a record you could never see broken, and was captain for five of Donegal’s 11 overall Ulster titles and the 2012 All-Ireland.
So, when he appeared on the pitch on Sunday, some shift in the chemistry occurred. The Donegal support were going wild and he ran into the same territory as Armagh captain Aidan Forker.
For several years, these two have picked up each other in games. The rucking and shoving was nothing out of the ordinary for both men when they face each other.
The day they faced each other in Breffni Park in the 2020 Ulster championship semi-final was one without crowds due to Covid. On a frigid November day, you could hear the thumps they were throwing into each other and a few of the remarks they passed.
In about five years, the two will undoubtedly fetch up on a sofa together on punditry duty and be asked to comment on the obligatory controversial incident, before a highlights reel of their own encounters is shown. Bashful grins at all water under the bridge by then, of course. No sense getting too sanctimonious about it now.
Armagh have never lacked in men who felt it was their duty to put people in their box. You can trace a line from the Grimley brothers to Kieran McGeeney, through Ciaran McKeever and all the way to Forker.
One thing immediately apparent though; Forker is nowhere near the same size as Murphy. While it’s clear that Forker set the tone of the engagement, the combination of extreme stress and Murphy making his thumps count led to a rash moment and a red card.
44 nóim #GAABeo@officialdonegal 0-13 (13)@Armagh_GAA 1-07 (10)
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) February 16, 2025
Murphy díreach ar an bpáirc agus tionchar ollmhór déanta aige
cheana féin
Aidan Forker is shown a red and Armagh are down to 14
BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV @AllianzIreland #AllianzLeagues #GAABEO pic.twitter.com/7rQgyzAoma
One that Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney had no complaints about. In fact, given how ransacked the All-Ireland champions squad was on Sunday, you suspect it might not have been the worst game to lose in order to draw in the focus a little keener.
From the moment of Forker’s red card, Donegal controlled the game. Murphy’s personal contributions were drenched in class. A left footed point that he cushioned over, one with the right in that familiar kicking style, and back on the frees with that much-rehearsed cleaning of the cogs before he sizes things up.
And that fetch from Ethan Rafferty’s kickout shows how Jim McGuinness’ persuasion has brought back a player with obscene power, skill and athleticism.
Add in a dash of leadership, and the enhancements to Donegal in 2025 are impressive. Trusting league form though is a mug’s game. A million variables can be triggered between now and a championship. With all that said, they now enter territory where they are widely tipped to win the All-Ireland.
For all his placid nature, Murphy has never been lacking in on-field aggression. The very first time he landed into a Donegal training session, his father Mick had spoken to then-manager Brian McIver about this schoolboy son joining the senior panel.
Yes, he would be minded, and no, he wouldn’t be going in for any of the rough stuff, McIver assured Murphy senior.
So the training session starts, Murphy jnr is making a run through the middle and Paddy McDaid steps across his line, trying to block his run, and, well…
“I mean,” says McIver in recalled exasperation, “by the time we got Paddy scraped off the ground… I don’t think he played for the county thereafter. Michael walked over, no, trampled all over the top of him.”
Driving home that night, his son Paul who gave him a hand coaching, was riding shotgun. That very night, some selectors and coaches had to hold tackle bags. Paul happened to be in the line of Murphy and told him he wouldn’t come back if that happened again. “My whole body shook, Daddy.”
Comebacks are tricky things.
There was always the sense that when Murphy retired from county football, just short of his 33rd birthday, that he had more to offer.
Since he made his debut in 2007, his durability was one of many impressive facets. A combination of robustness and good fortune meant he never had to cope with a broken bone or knees and ankles that snapped or tore.
On occasion, he might have a tight hamstring, nothing unusual among the Donegal squad. But the best ability is availability, and Murphy always reported for duty.
How that all works when you are 35, 36 in August, is another question. But the reigning Footballer of the Year is 35.
Donegal have their most famous son back. They’ll be dreaming of a comeback akin to Elvis in Vegas in 1969.
Oh, Las Vegas, in the hills of Donegal.
Extra training to shed weight on 850 grand/wk! What a star!
Easy on the kebabs now Tevez.
Great player but starting to become the most hateful character in football. The money he’s on and he decided all by himself to do some extra training. Pr*ck
He should ask for a raise