Kylie Murphy

Kylie Murphy (born 2 September 1988) is an Irish footballer who plays for Wexford Youths of the Women's National League (WNL). Predominantly a midfielder, she was successfully repurposed as a forward in 2021.

Kylie Murphy
Personal information
Date of birth (1988-09-02) 2 September 1988[1]
Place of birth Carlow, Ireland[2]
Position(s) Midfielder / Forward
Team information
Current team
 Wexford Youths
Number 6
Youth career
St Pat's Boys
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011– Wexford Youths 250 (100)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:50, 21 November 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14:50, 21 November 2021 (UTC)

Club career

Murphy joined Wexford Youths for the inaugural Women's National League (WNL) season in 2011–12, following a successful trial. Murphy had joined St Pat's boys' soccer club when she was six or seven years old, where she was the only girl in the team.[3] She also played several other sports during her school days, but had stopped playing sports altogether for about two years before Wexford Youths manager John Flood persuaded her to join his team.[4]

Immediately installed as the new club's captain, she made her debut in the opening day 2–2 home draw with Castlebar Celtic.[5] Murphy was named club Player of the Season in May 2012.[6] Towards the end of her first season Murphy suffered a slipped disc in her back while warming up for a match against Peamount United. She rejected medical advice to retire from football and returned a year later, receiving a guard of honour in her first match back, which was also against Peamount.[7]

After returning to full fitness, Murphy was named in the Team of the Season as Wexford Youths won the WNL title for the first time in 2014–15,[8][9] and she participated in the club's subsequent 2015–16 UEFA Women's Champions League campaign in August 2015.[10] In November 2015, Murphy helped Wexford Youths win the FAI Women's Cup for the first time in the final at the Aviva Stadium. Ciara Rossiter's injury time equaliser helped them prevail over Shelbourne, 4–2 on penalties after a 2–2 draw.[11]

Wexford Youths recaptured the WNL title in 2017, with Murphy named in the Team of the Season.[12] In 2018, Murphy was again named in the WNL Team of the Season as the club won another Treble.[13] In November 2019, Murphy scored the winning goal as she captained Wexford to a 3–2 win over Peamount in the FAI Women's Cup final at the Aviva Stadium.[14] She made her 200th appearance for Wexford Youths in August 2020, marking the occasion with a goal in a 2–1 defeat by Shelbourne.[15]

In 2021 Murphy – hitherto a central midfielder – was deployed as a centre-forward by Wexford Youths, who were trying to replace the loss of the prolific Rianna Jarrett.[16] The experiment was a success as Murphy scored 15 WNL goals, just one behind top-scorer Áine O'Gorman, and was nominated for WNL Player of the Season.[17][18] She scored again in the 2021 FAI Women's Cup Final, as Wexford Youths defeated Shelbourne 3–1,[19] and was announced as the WNL Player of the Season winner on 1 December 2021.[20] In January 2022 the Soccer Writers of Ireland named Murphy as their first ever Women's Personality of the Year.[21]

During the 2022 season Murphy made her 250th appearance for Wexford Youths and also scored her 100th goal for the club. She now occupied a "number 10" role as the team challenged for the WNL title.[22]

International career

Youth

Murphy was part of the Republic of Ireland women's national under-19 football team during the qualifying rounds of the 2005 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship.[1]

Senior

Murphy's club coach Tom Elmes led calls for her to be given a chance at senior international level in 2018. Murphy felt that the opportunity had passed her by at 32 years old, but was disappointed not to have won a senior cap despite her consistently good form at club level.[23]

Honours

Player

Wexford Youths

Individual

  • FAI Women's National League Team of the Season: 2014–15, 2017, 2018, 2019

Personal life

Outside football Murphy works as a carpenter in her father's kitchen business.[24] She played ladies' Gaelic football for Graiguecullen GAA and represented Laois GAA at minor level, before deciding to focus on association football.[25] In August 2019 Murphy married her same-sex partner Essmay, then flew to Lithuania to play in the 2019–20 UEFA Women's Champions League qualifying round two days later.[26]

References
  1. "Kylie Murphy Defender". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  2. "Kylie Murphy". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  3. Lennon, Siun (18 April 2019). "Women in Sport: FAI Cup winning Wexford Youths captain – Kylie Murphy". Laois Today. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  4. Fennessy, Paul (29 August 2020). "One of the unsung heroes of Irish football set for landmark achievement". The42.ie. TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  5. O'Brien, Brendan (22 August 2020). "Kylie Murphy on her 200th Wexford Youths cap: 'The more I think about it, it's amazing.'". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  6. "Women's League stars receive just rewards". New Ross Standard. 28 May 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  7. Fallon, John (3 November 2018). "Chippy Murphy feels so lucky being back after serious injury". Irish Independent. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  8. "Wexford claim WNL title". wnl.fai.ie. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  9. McGuire, Mary. "A Big Occasion For UCD Waves And Wexford Youths As Women's National League Award Recipients Announced". Her.ie. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  10. Maher, Gareth (10 August 2015). "Wexford Youths relish European bow". UEFA. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  11. "Wexford win first ever FAI Women's Cup final on penalties". The Irish Times. 8 November 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  12. O'Toole, Fintan (8 November 2017). "Peamount and Cork City players claim major honours after 2017 league awards". The42.ie. TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  13. Gallagher, Aaron (10 November 2018). "Ireland striker Jarrett named Player of the Year after scoring 27 goals during injury-hit season". The42.ie. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  14. Leahy, Ed (3 November 2019). "Wexford Youths swing five-goal thriller to win FAI Cup" – via www.rte.ie. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  15. Shorthose, Harry (4 September 2020). "200 not out for Murphy". The Nationalist (Carlow). Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  16. Kelly, David (19 November 2021). "Captain Kylie Murphy on song in new striker role as Wexford Youths bag the goals they've been missing". Irish Independent. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  17. "Laois' Kylie Murphy Nominated For Women's National League Player Of The Year". Midlands 103. 19 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  18. Pyne, Anthony (20 November 2021). "Kylie Murphy: Wexford Youths' evolving driving force". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  19. Duffy, Emma (21 November 2021). "'What's there to say? The kid is just unbelievable'". The42.ie. TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  20. Healy, Martin (1 December 2021). "Wexford Youth's Kylie Murphy claims Player of the Year prize at SSE Airtricity Women's National League Awards". Extra.ie. DMG Media. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  21. O'Donoghue, Conor (26 January 2022). "Kylie Murphy named first-ever SWI women's personality of the year". The Irish Post. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  22. Scully, Michael (16 September 2022). "Wexford's Kylie Murphy not ready to slow down after reaching latest milestone". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  23. Duffy, Emma (20 March 2021). "'We often joke that we literally feel like full-time professionals without getting paid'". The42.ie. TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  24. Hannigan, Mary (25 May 2016). "Kylie Murphy: 'We know there's always more, we push each other over the line'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  25. Duffy, Emma (2 November 2019). "'It was definitely one of the hardest things I've ever done... the ring is on now so I'm not so bad!'". The42.ie. TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  26. Dunne, Aedín (11 November 2019). "'We proved everyone wrong' – Wexford Youths captain Kylie Murphy on FAI Cup win, being written off and major sacrifices". Laois Today. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
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