Former Cork star Brian Murphy set to manage native club Bride Rovers in 2024

Bride Rovers will have former star player Brian Murphy guiding their fortunes next year following his appointment as manager of the club’s senior A hurling team.

This year, the Rathcormac/Bartlemy club looked to have secured a place in the final of the Co-op SuperStores Cork SAHC following a penalty shootout win over Blarney. However, with Rovers having had 16 players on the pitch in the closing moments of extra time – during which they were awarded an equalising free – Blarney lodged an objection to the result.

That was upheld by Cork County Board and the Mid-Cork side took victory in the re-fixture. With manager Liam Barry opting to step down in the wake of that loss, Rovers have now turned to Murphy, who won All-Ireland SHC medals with Cork in 2004 and 2005.

Cork’s back-to-back titles under Dónal O’Grady and John Allen made it a treble for the tight-marking corner-back, who was part of the team that won the 2003 All-Ireland intermediate title. Going on to win the Young Hurler of The Year Award in 2004, Murphy was honoured with an All-Star in 2006.

A Dr Harty and Croke Cup winner St Colman’s College in 2001, Murphy was instrumental in Bride Rovers winning the Cork and Munster intermediate titles in 2003 while they reached the senior county final in 2008. He continued to play for the first team until 2020, when he was 38.

This will be his first foray into senior management, having previously been involved with Rovers at U21 level. The club won the county U21A (third tier) title in 2018 before reaching the Premier 2 final in 2019.

Bride Rovers will be top seeds, along with Blarney and Glen Rovers, in the 2024 senior A championship draw, which takes place next month.