Paul Fennessy

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC boss Tim Clancy reserved high praise for youngster Adam Murphy after his side’s entertaining 3-2 win over Bohemians last night.

The attacking midfielder just turned 18 last week and started for the Saints at Dalymount Park, with the manager calling his performance “exceptional” as he completed 66 minutes before being replaced by Thijs Timmermans.

Murphy is extremely highly thought of by the Richmond Park outfit, having joined the club from Belvedere in January 2020.

He made swift progress through the club’s academy, captaining their U15s before subsequently lining out for the 17s and 19s sides.

Highlights of his underage career included captaining Pat’s U19s in the Uefa Youth League against Red Star Belgrade during the 2021 season and also being part of the squad that won the EA Sports U19 League title last year as well as reaching the Enda McGuill U19 Cup Final.

In July 2021, aged 16, Murphy signed his first professional contract with the Dublin club, committing to football and full-time education — he is due to sit his Leaving Certificate this summer.

The talented teenager made his senior debut off the bench against Sligo Rovers in the second game of last season and went on to become Pat’s youngest-ever starter in the modern era when he lined out against Dundalk on his 17th birthday, though the similarly highly rated Sam Curtis has since eclipsed that feat.

Yet the Ireland underage international’s progress was curtailed when he suffered a hamstring injury after just 21 minutes, turning that landmark first start into a moment to forget. 

Murphy missed several months of action owing to this setback, undergoing surgery in the UK before returning from the bench in the final game of last season against Shelbourne.

The player’s minutes since have been managed carefully, and Friday night was his first start this season, having come off the bench in each of their previous four league games.

There are no shortage of highly rated youngsters currently plying their trade in the League of Ireland, but Clancy believes Murphy has gone somewhat under the radar.

“Only for injuries, I think a lot more people in the country would know who Adam Murphy is,” he said. “I think he’s an absolutely outstanding talent. From anywhere I’ve played or managed, he’s the best young kid I’ve ever seen, I rate him that highly, he’s exceptional, a really good player, and again that was his first start since he got a bad injury.

“An exceptional performance by him, he should have fouled James Clarke for the second goal but we’ll let him away with that one, that will come with experience. But yeah, I think Adam is going to be a really big player and have a massive career.”

Elaborating on the impact of the serious injury he suffered, Clancy explained: “He had the surgical procedure to strengthen him up, and his professionalism for a young kid and the way he looks after himself and his body, he’s probably grown into it now as well, he’s a very explosive kid.

“Listen, we want him to get a good run of games, keep fit and he’ll be a pleasure to watch.”

And given Murphy’s obvious talent and high ceiling, might Pat’s find it tough to hold onto him in the long term?

“We’ll do our best but, yeah, we want Adam to do exceptionally well for us, that starts again with recovery tomorrow and we’ll go again for next week. I think if he fulfills his potential, he’ll have a very good career.”