There's not too many defenders out there that would fancy having to mark James O'Donoghue and Colm Cooper on a weekly basis - but Paul Murphy is an exception.

Murphy is used to coming face-to-face with two of gaelic football's most skilled forwards on the training field and believes the challenge that presents has helped him develop into a respected inter-county defender.

"Well, you're playing club football in Kerry and you'd be marking the likes of James (O'Donoghue), Colm Cooper, Darran (O'Sullivan), all these guys," the Rathmore clubman said to the Irish Daily Star.

"So, you get good training off them and marking these boys in training you start to back yourself a bit and you know you can put it up to the likes of these guys.

"It would give you a bit of confidence."

Murphy performed an excellent man-marking job on Galway's Shane Walsh last Sunday and he enjoyed the Croke Park championship experience.

"You feel a bit of nerves. I'd be lying if I said I didn't. But, you feed of the other guys, the more experienced guys.

"You watch them and see how they deal with it. Having played here in the League, I think that was a big help.

"Not that the lustre was off it. You were just used to the surroundings and you get used to the routine, coming in under the stand and all that sort of thing.

"It's different to any other place in the country so Championship is different. But playing here in the League was a help." Tweet

Most Read Stories