The big interview: Dan Murray on his iconic partnership with Alan Bennett

Celebration time in Cork City's dressing room after beating Derry City to the title in 2005: Dan Murray, Alan Bennett and Neil Horgan. Picture: Brian Lougheed
“Not many players can do that, so he deserves praise for that.”

“We were a similar age but it never felt like we were fighting against each other for a spot. When Pat Dolan came in, he was trying to build a team and the two of us were part of that.”

However, with such a mean defence, it meant that City went out knowing that if they scored, there was a good chance they would win.

While he struggled to make an impression with the Royals – who were in the Premier League when he joined – he had loan spells at Southampton and Brentford.

“A lot of the time, that’s all that supporters are looking for in a player and not many fans would have a bad word to say about Benno.”

Such were Bennett’s leadership qualities that John Cotter and Neale Fenn both enlisted him as a coach during their period in charge and his retirement statement summed up the levels of dedication he applied to his game to make sure that he made it to the levels he did.
