Could anyone believe that a team that scores 4-11 in a football game could still lose? Could anyone believe that a team that defeated all four championship semi-finalists, could still fail to qualify for a semi-final placing in either league or championship of that same year? The answer in both instances is YES - it happened to Emyvale in 2003. By Seamus McCluskey. Of all the topsy-turvey years ever experienced by a GAA club, 2003 certainly proved such a one of the Emyvale club. Add to those two aforementioned 'impossibilities' was the fact that, along with another Monaghan Intermediate club, they had the dubious honour of having three players sent off in the one game. All of which makes 2003 a year that may live long in the memory of those looking for unusual records, but one that will quickly be forgotten by the current band of players and officials operating in this north county club that is one of the oldest in Co. Monaghan having been first founded as far back as 1914. For the Intermediate side it was a case of losing so many games by the narrowest of margins and creating a new record (again an unenviable one) of shooting more wides in every single game than did their opponents of the day. The records show that they had, on average, almost double the number of 'off targets' per game than their opponents, right throughout the year, while six of their nine league defeats were lost by a single score. They still finished fifth on the League table - just one place short of the 'qualifiers'. The League campaign got off to a great start on Sunday 30th March when they travelled to play Doohamlet and totally eclipsed the opposition on a scoreline of 1-17 to 0-12. This win assumed even more significance when one considers that Doohamlet would later create their own bit of history by qualifying for both League and Championship finals. Emyvale had lined out: Stephen McAree, Paul Kelly, Niall Callery, Brendan Keenan, Martin O'Brien, Paddy O'Brien, Gerard O'Brien, Paddy Kelly, Brendan O'Brien (0-2), Carl Murphy (0-3), Martin McAree (0-7), Emmet Colleran, Cathal McKenna (1-1), Brendan McNally and Fergal Colton (0-4). Subs used: Stephen Kelly, Enda Fields, Shane McKenna and Brian Finn. A home defeat to Corduff by the narrowest of margins (1-7 to 2-5) followed on Sunday 13th April when both Emyvale goalkeepers Glen Murphy and Stephen McAree were unavailable, and minor 'keeper Gerard McCaffrey was called in to man the 'bearna baol' while Robert McHugh made a welcome return. Unfortunately another defeat followed at Aghabog, when an Emyvale player was rather harshly punished by the official in charge, and Emyvale now found themselves with only two points from three league outings. Then followed what was probably one of the most amazing games in Emyvale's history on Saturday 3rd May - a home defeat to Drumhowan on the amazing scoreline of 4-11 to 5-11. To think that a team could run up such a fine score and yet lose was one of the mysteries of the season just finished, and certainly left many questions to be answered by team management. More importantly, it left Emyvale sharing the bottom rung of the league table with two other clubs, each with only one win from four games. It was then that Emyvale really pulled their socks up, realising that matters were slipping away from them and that another defeat could prove disastrous when the league would reach its concluding stages. A trip to Inniskeen is never one to be relished, as the South Monaghan citadel has rarely been cracked by visitors, yet Emyvale produced one of their best performances of the year when they took the Grattans scalp on a 1-12 to 0-11 scoreline, a win that game everyone much needed new hope, as Inniskeen were table toppers at the time and would figure in the Intermediate League Final at the end of the season. The good form was maintained only to be thwarted by a penalty miss in with the final kick of the game against Tyholland at Emyvale on 18th May. On Saturday 31st May, the side travelled to Smithboro and scored a resounding 2-14 to 1-11 win over the home side, Eire Og, which brought Emyvale away from the danger zone and put them in mid-table position, but there was a real 'throw away' at Rockcorry on Friday 13th June, when some unbelievable misses left us on the receiving end of a 2-14 to 2-12 scoreline, after a game that Emyvale should have well and truly wrapped up long before half time. A home defeat to high flying Doohamlet was followed by a great away win at Corduff on Sunday 29th June, Emyvale winning by 0-13 to 0-10 and this was followed by a huge 3-16 to 0-8 victory over visiting Oram with this team: Niall Maguire, Brian Finn, Paddy Kelly, Paul Kelly, Emmet Colleran, Paddy O'Brien, Gerard O'Brien, Brendan McKenna, Carl Murphy, Robert McHugh, Martin McAree, Shane McKenna, Fergal Colton, Cathal McKenna and 'red' Shane McKenna. Subs used: Stephen Kelly, Brendan Keenan, Ryan McGee, Jonathan Morrough and James Gallagher. The Championship At this stage the Intermediate Championship intervened and Emyvale headed off in high hopes to Scotstown on Sunday 6th July. The heading in the following week'end's local newspaper told it all: - "Emyvale Suffer Injury Time Blues" and went on to report - "A draw looked the most likely outcome with the sides deadlocked at 1-7 to 0-10 with time almost up but Doohamlet had the final say when they hit a late winner". The same report later stated - "When they (Emyvale) look back, they did miss a number of vital chances that ultimately cost them dearly." The final tally of Doohamlet 1-8, Emyvale 0-10 was far from being a true reflection of Emyvale's performance, when their line-out was as follows: - Glen Murphy, Paul Kelly, Paddy Kelly, Shane McKenna, Emmet Colleran, Paddy O'Brien (0-1), Gerard O'Brien, Carl Murphy, Brendan O'Brien, Robert McHugh (0-1), Darren Farmer (0-5), Shane McKenna, Brian Finn, Martin McAree (0-3) and Donal McAreavey. Sub used: Stephen Kelly The 'back door' now beckoned and Emyvale scored a fine win over Oram when the sides met at Clontibret on Saturday 26th July with Emyvale ahead at the final whistle on a scoreline of Emyvale 0-13 Oram 1-4. The side showed little change from the Scotstown game but Jonathan Morrough and Fergal Colton were back in action, and the scores came from - Robert McHugh 0-4, Darren Farmer 0-2, Donal McAreavey 0-2 and Stephen Kelly, Fergal Colton, Martin McAree, Shane McKenna and Cathal McKenna 0-1 each. Given this reprieve Emyvale faced Rockcorry in the quarter-final of the championship at Scotstown on Saturday 23rd August but this is the one game of the year that Emyvale will really want to forget. They ended up losers, 1-8 to 2-8, but the game is recalled for a break down in discipline that saw six players sidelined - three from each side. It was foolish of Emyvale as they had totally dominated the opening half and had victory in their sights but cool heads were needed at a vital stage and these did not prevail. Emyvale lined out: Stephen McAree, Shane McKenna, Paddy Kelly, Brian Finn, Emmet Colleran 0-1, Paddy O'Brien, Jonathan Morrough, Carl Murphy, Brendan O'Brien, Robert McHugh 1-1, Martin McAree 0-1, Darren Farmer 0-1, Shane McKenna 0-1, Cathal McKenna and Donal McAreavey 0-3. Subs used: Shane McKenna, Brendan McNally and John Flannery Back to the League Despite the lapse in the championship, Emyvale recovered quite well, and two great wins in succession - Emyvale 0-12, Oram 2-5 at Oram on Friday 8th August and Emyvale 4-9, Rockcorry 1-9 at Emyvale on Monday 11th August, pushed them up into the 'Top Four' where it now looked as if they would now qualify for a league semi-final placing, but a heart-break defeat by Inniskeen at Emyvale by 2-8 to 0-10 dented those prospects somewhat. Emyvale were only a point adrift in the closing minutes of this one when they were denied a close-in free, but play was allowed to continue to the other end where Inniskeen netted with the last kick of the game. The semi-final place was very much at stake when Emyvale travelled to Drumhowan on Sunday 12th October but we were denied victory on a scoreline of Drumhowan 1-7, Emyvale 0-9 (again by the narrowest of margins). Even the Drumhowan 'club notes' the following week reported: - "Emyvale had the better of many of the exchanges down the middle of the field, only to suffer from an inability to score." How true, but really the story of Emyvale's efforts all year. Emyvale had lined out for this one - the last game of the season - as follows: - Glen Murphy, Paddy Kelly, Paddy O'Brien, Shane McKenna, Gerard O'Brien, Robert McHugh 0-1, Ryan McGee, Brendan O'Brien, Carl Murphy 0-1, Martin McAree 0-2, Darren Farmer 0-2, Shane McKenna, Fergal Colton 0-1, Cathal McKenna and Brendan McNally 0-2. Sub used: Donal McAreavy Other grades The 'B' team, capably managed by Gabriel McCormack, had a very good year, winning their way through to the semi-final of the league (Brady Cup) only to lose out to Tyholland, 1-10 to 1-8 again with the last kick of the game (so often repeated) at Monaghan on Sunday 22nd June while the U21 side managed by Anthony McArdle, can also look back on a very successful year. There is tremendous potential in these two young sides and with careful management they should form the nucleus of strong Intermediate team in the year ahead. Emyvale's 'Bomber' In 2003 Tom Freeman of Magheracloone was selected for the Irish team to travel to play Australia in the 'Compromise Rules' International Series. He thus became the third Co. Monaghan man to be so selected, as he was following in the footsteps of Eamonn Murphy of Emyvale and Ciaran Murray of Clones, both of whom were selected for the same series in 1986. Eamonn Murphy was born with football in his blood as his three uncles had all played Senior County Football for Carlow in the 'forties and 'fifties. Born in 1962 he grew up in Emyvale where he attended the local national school and was soon making a name for himself on the school team that captured the 'Northern Standard' Cup, the trophy for the Co. Monaghan 'Large Schools' Championship. His school took that title in 1975, when Eamonn captained the team, and again the following year 1976. He was the mainspring of Emyvale Juvenile teams, U12 in 1974, U13 in 1975 and U14 in 1976, during those same years and captured a string of titles in county competitions with 'Monaghan Co-Op Cup', 'McGrane Cup', 'McHugh Cup' and 'Lee Bros. Cup' medals all coming his way. At St. Macartan's College, Monaghan he was on the 'Sem' team that captured the 'Rannafast Cup' for the first time ever. With such a promising career at underage level, it was inevitable that he would graduate to be an adult player of rare quality. Strangely enough, Eamonn did not enjoy major success at minor level, although he was one of the leading lights on Genie McKenna's team that reached the Final of the Treanor Cup (MFL) in 1979, but he was already figuring on the Emyvale Junior team unluckily beaten by the narrowest of margins by Oram in the 1980 Junior Championship. However, it was later with the Under 21's of the Emyvale club that he really began to emerge as a future star. He played centre-half forward on the Emyvale team that won the Kerley Cup (U21) title in 1980 and it was in this position that Eamonn Murphy always produced his best football. Unfortunately, he was not persisted with in that role in later adult competitions, while the county selectors continued playing him as a full-forward. One of his rare appearances as a defender was when he played as a corner back for Emyvale in the Junior County Final of 1981 against Sean McDermotts but he later admitted that he was not happy in that role. He was back as leader of the attack in the 1982 final and again in the 1984 final but Emyvale were losers on both occasions. It was at this stage that he began attracting the attention of Co. Team Manager and his selectors. He attended his first county team training session in Castleblayney in 1983 and immediately impressed. He made his county debut with the Monaghan U21 team against Fermanagh at Lisnaskea on the 17th April 1983 and his performance there earned him a place on the County Junior squad against Armagh at Ballymacnab. Impressive again, he soon found himself on the senior squad and played against Mayo at the opening of the Hollymount grounds on 17th June the same year. From there it was up the ladder at a very fast rate. In June 1983 he netted for Monaghan in a challenge game with Dublin at Parnell Park and in the NFL campaign later that year he starred against Antrim in Gavan Duffy Park, Monaghan, and scored three goals against Carlow in the next outing, and he recalls many of his Carlow relations looking on in envy. He was now emerging as one of Monaghan's greatest ever forwards. The 1985-86 period, however, proved to be Eamonn Murphy's greatest years. In 1985 his club, Emyvale, finally beat the Junior Championship hoodoo that had denied them a title in no less then three finals in four years. The coveted 'Junior Double' was finally captured, for the first time since 1945, with Emyvale sweeping all before them and defeating Killanny in both league and championship finals. For Eamonn Murphy it was a tremendously satisfying experience. The 'Centenary Cup' Tournament of 1984 was really the first installment of Eamonn Murphy's appearances on the National scene. He played at full forward in the victory over Limerick in the first round then came on as a sub against Mayo in the second round , did likewise in the semi-final against Derry, and the same again against Meath in the final at Croke Park on Sunday 20th May. Many would argue that he should have been playing full time in all games, but his glory days were still to come. The National League of 1984-85 showed him in his true worth with Monaghan reaching the final against fellow Ulstermen, Armagh and taking their first ever National title. His display against Kildare at Croke Park on March 3rd demonstrated clearly that he was emerging as the greatest full forward in the country, as he scored three truly magnificent goals in Monaghan's 4-6 to 0-2 victory. Over that entire League campaign he had emerged as Monaghan's top scorer with 5-6 (21 points) to his credit. Following the Kildare game, a scribe in one of the national newspapers wrote: - "Eamonn Murphy was easily 'Man of the Match' and Kildare will certainly remember the big full-forward from Emyvale, described by many as 'Monaghan's answer to the Bomber Liston, Eamonn is now a "bomber" in his own right. He chased and caught everything that came his way and that great run to the corner his fierce determination to follow up even the slightest chance. A wonderful performance and one of which he can well be proud." Yet another renowned national scribe, Tom O'Riordan, wrote: "Any full forward who can harness together fractions of the best talents of men like Kerry's Eoin "Bomber" Liston, Colm O'Rourke of Meath and the Tyrone specialist Frank McGuigan, certainly has something special going for him. Eamonn Murphy is such a full-forward." Then came the Ulster Championship of 1985 and Eamonn Murphy was Monaghan's main hope in the forward lines. He was again a goal scorer in the opening game against Donegal at Castleblayney, laid on several scores in the semi-final and had a point against Derry in the Ulster Final at Clones on July 21st, but even with all that, the best was still to come. Monaghan's clashes with Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final of 1985 still remains as Eamonn Murphy's 'zenith' in Gaelic football. His goal against one of Kerry's best ever fullbacks in the drawn game is still rated as a classic. Kerry won the replay 2-9 to 0-10 but Eamonn Murphy was now well and truly in the national 'front window' of Gaelic Football and much admired for his skill and goal-getting prowess in every corner of the land. Back at club level Eamonn Murphy was leading Emyvale to an historic first ever appearance in a Monaghan Senior Football Championship Final. They had captured the Fr. Hackett Cup (Division Two Senior) title the previous year, 1985, their first ever senior trophy, and had been promoted senior for 1986. Defeating Doohamlet, Killanny and Truagh along the way, they faced the 'Mighty Faughs' of Castleblayney in the final at Clontibret on the last Sunday of September. It was a 'David and Goliath' affair and it was no disgrace for Emyvale to lose against such strong opponents and championship specialists. "I regard that as one of my greatest ever disappointments", says Eamonn, "I had always hoped to lead Emyvale to a Monaghan Senior Football Championship title, but 'Blayney are a law onto themselves when it comes to the Championship and we were just unlucky to run up against one of the best teams ever fielded by the Faughs." In recognition of his great exploits during the previous season, it came as no surprise that Eamonn Murphy would be selected on the Ireland team to travel to Australia for the 'Compromise Rules' series later in 1986. The citation for Eamonn in the "Official Commemorative Brochure" published for that great occasion read as follows: - "Eamonn Murphy (Monaghan): Age: 24. Height: 6'3". Weight: 13st 7lbs. Occupation: Distributor. Honours: - Won National League and Ulster Senior medals in 1985. Also holds Monaghan Junior Championship and League medals." Later they could have added that Eamonn Murphy would also be the holder of a Railway Cup medal which he was to win with the Ulster inter-provincial team. Another of Eamonn Murphy's great regrets was the injury that kept him from figuring in the 1988 Ulster Final against Tyrone. He had been injured in the semi-final game against Down at Breffni Park in Cavan, and in one preview of the game, the writer stated: "Eamonn Murphy, Emyvale's energetic front runner and the driving thrust behind Monaghan's power-packed attack is facing a critical race against the clock to spearhead Monaghan's final fling on July 17th. Forced to retire from the fray after sixty minutes of uncompromising physical warfare (against Down) the big and mobile six-footer was assisted from the dressing room to hospital for an exploratory x-ray examination on a damaged ankle." Monaghan later lost to Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final in a wind-lashed Croke Park, but Con Houlihan, writing in 'The Evening Press' had this to say: - "They (Monaghan) had to start without midfielder Kevin Carragher, a late withdrawal, and Eamonn Murphy, who has been on the injured list for several weeks. Murphy, fully fit, might have given the attack the cutting edge it lacked. Lacking him, it was like ploughing a bawn field without a rolling coulter." When Eamonn Murphy had recovered from his injury, he again led his native Emyvale to success in the Fr. Hackett Cup (Division Two Senior), defeating Carrickmacross, 1-8 to 1-4, in the final on Sunday 30th October 1988. He was now 26 and would still play for another ten years for Emyvale as well as again being selected on several occasions for the county, but time and injuries were beginning to take their toll, and the old speed and swerve were beginning to disappear. That 1988 injury against Down was probably the one that really did the damage. Looking back on it now, Eamonn Murphy has few regrets. He would dearly love to see Emyvale capture the 'Blue Riband' of Monaghan football, and is hopeful that, under good management and with the careful nurturing of the fine bunch of up and coming young players at the club's disposal, that day may be much closer than many of us realise. Tweet

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