The Day Father Murphy’s Finally Became London Champions
Sunday, October 1st, 2000. New Eltham, London.
For 42 years, Father Murphy’s had been knocking on the door. Close calls. Heartbreaking defeats. Near misses in finals. But on this autumn Sunday, everything changed.
The Long Wait
Since that first meeting in the Sir Robert Peel pub in 1958, Father Murphy’s had achieved incredible success – intermediate titles, league championships, provincial cups. But the big one – the London Senior Hurling Championship – had always slipped away.
They’d reached the final in 1973, only to lose to St Gabriel’s. The wait continued through the 80s and 90s. Players came and went. Generations passed. But the purple and gold never gave up.
Underdogs No More
The 2000 season had been building toward something special. Father Murphy’s, captained by John Ryan, entered the championship final as underdogs against the favourites, Sean Treacy’s.
Nobody outside the club gave them much chance. Sean Treacy’s were powered by several members of London’s successful sides. This was supposed to be their year.
But Father Murphy’s had other ideas.
Bacl LtoR. M Butler, D Dugggan, P Doyle, D Howlin, E Shalloe, M Harrell, G Redmond, PJ Fortune, R Devlin, D Shalloe, P Slattery, J Howlin.
Front LtoR. J Murphy, A Fitzpatrick, B Carty, J Murphy, S Howlin, P Greene, M Harrell, M Reilly, E Kinlon, J Ryan, J O’Leary, P Roche, J Howlin
A Team Inspired
Led by inspirational captain and centre-back Mick Gordon (who delivered a man-of-the-match performance), and featuring former Tipperary minor Michael Harding, Father Murphy’s refused to be overawed.
From the throw-in, they took the game to the champions. No fear. No hesitation. Pure hunger.
The match ebbed and flowed, but with ten minutes remaining, Father Murphy’s were heading for another heartbreak. They were behind. Time was running out. Forty-two years was about to become forty-three.
Ten Minutes That Changed Everything
And then it happened.
In the space of ten dramatic minutes, Father Murphy’s struck twice. Two goals. The crowd erupted. The purple and gold flooded forward.
When the final whistle blew, the scoreboard told a story that had been 42 years in the making:
Father Murphy’s 2-11
Sean Treacy’s 0-13
“We Did It For Everyone”
Captain John Ryan, lifting the championship trophy for the first time in the club’s history, said it perfectly:
“Forty-two years is a long time to be waiting for a trophy in this town. We started off well this season when we won the Collins Cup and now we have done it. We did it for all those players, young and old, who have played their part for this club over those 42 years.”
A Season of Glory
The championship wasn’t all. In 2000, Father Murphy’s also won:
- ✓ The Senior Hurling League
- ✓ The Collins Cup
- ✓ The Provincial Championship
- ✓ The All-England Seven-a-Side title
Four major trophies. But none meant as much as that championship.
The Squad That Made History
The team: M Butler (goalkeeper), D Duggan, P Doyle, D Howlin, E Shalloe, M Harrell, G Redmond, PJ Fortune, R Devlin, D Shalloe, P Slattery, J Howlin, J Murphy, A Fitzpatrick, B Carty, with crucial contributions from J Murphy, S Howlin, P Greene, M Harrell, M Reilly, E Kinlon, J Ryan, J O’Leary, P Roche.
Management: The tactical nous and leadership that had been building for years finally paid off.
The Celebration
The scenes at New Eltham that day will never be forgotten by those who were there. Families who had followed the club for decades. Young players seeing what was possible. Old warriors who had worn the jersey in the lean years.
The wait was over. Father Murphy’s were champions.
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