MSL soccer: Kevin Murray is leaving back-to-back premier league champions Midleton in a good place

Midleton will have a new manager when they embark on their Beamish Stout Senior Premier Division three-in-a-row title bid in August.

Kevin Murray has stepped down as the club’s senior manager, having led the team to three Premier League titles — one as captain of the team and two as manager — after the Magpies secured back-to-back league titles this season.

The champions are in the process of appointing Murray’s successor, but whoever takes the reins will will be in a good position ahead of a bid for a three-in-a-row.

Midleton won the league with the best defensive record, conceding 11 goals in 18 games. Coupled with the previous season’s performance, it amounted to 20 goals conceded in 36 games.

As a top-class defender, Murray will have been thrilled with those numbers.

The former Cork City player arrived at Midleton in the 2014/15 season and in 2017/18 he captained the side to their first league title in 26 years.

The following season, a serious injury put an end to his playing career. Two covid years followed and when football returned, Murray was part of the management team under John Ryan, before taking over the number one spot himself.

After winning the title on the last day of the season in 2024, he oversaw the Magpies’ fifth title success this year, with the club having previously won it in 1991 and 1992.

Following Midleton’s latest success, Murray felt it is time to step down.

“It’s been three unbelievable years as manager, but the time is right to step down. I just feel I need a bit of a break from senior football,” Murray explained.

When asked about the temptation of staying on for a three-in-a-row bid, he said: “There is a good team there, so they have the ability to achieve that, but you have to give everything to this job if you want your team to be successful.

“I have the greatest respect for managers across the league, because managing a team can be all-consuming, which I had to do for the past three years, and I felt I needed a break and I will see where I am next year.”

When a club wins a league title there is a target on their back for the following season, that’s natural, and there is often the need to add to their squad.

For Midleton, though, the changes were minimal.

“When you win a league you want to keep the squad that helped you achieve that. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. Retaining the squad was important and, thankfully, we did that for the most part.

“Dylan O’Halloran stepped away because of work commitments and he was a massive loss, and we lost Evan Bolster to Cobh Ramblers’ U20s which was a great opportunity for him.

“We brought in Rob O’Connor from Leeds and Killian Murphy from Carrigaline United — two very good players — and we got Loic Nguefang and Jamie Collins back to the club.

“James Leahy, who won the league in 2018, returned during the season and it was like signing a new player. He was a huge addition in the run-in.”

Midleton opened the defence of their league title with a trip to First Division champions, newly-promoted St Mary’s, where they dropped points after Bradley Walsh scored a late equaliser for the Saints in a 2-2 draw.

Next up for the champions was a home game against the other promoted side, Leeds, and a 5-0 win got them off the mark.

A trip to Ringmahon Rangers was next on the agenda. Manager Aidan Foley had strengthened what was already a very strong squad and the Mahon outfit were considered by many to be favourites for the title.

That line of thinking was backed up when two goals from one of their new signings, Nathan Broderick, helped secure the win for the home side.

Not the best of starts for Midleton, who had already lost to their nemesis from the previous season, College Corinthians, in the second round of the Keane Cup. Murray, though wasn’t overly concerned

“Four points from the three games was not ideal by any means,” he admitted.

“You can see the way the league has gone in recent years; 40 points or more are needed now to achieve success, so that reduces the margin for error.

“We have tended to be slow starters, however; it was similar to the season before, when we went on a winning run and won it at the death, and when we won in 2018 we had to put a run together after a bumpy start.

“We peaked at the right time, though, March and April. That’s when the league is won and lost, and it was an important period again this time around. That’s when our consistency showed.”

After the loss to Ringmahon, Rockmount were the visitors to Knockgriffin and a 3-0 win had the champions back on track.

Six more league wins would follow, before a 1-1 draw in March with a rejuvenated Cobh Wanderers, who had struggled in the early part of the season.

Midleton were, as Murray has said, heading in to a crucial part of the season — moving day, to borrow a golf term. Their next game was a trip to Leeds on March 23.

“That was a period of a couple of big weeks for us. We had Leeds away and then Ringmahon at home on the Wednesday. We beat Leeds 3-0, which put us in a good position going into the Ringmahon game; a game we felt was a must-win.

“We knew if we didn’t win that then our task would have been much tougher.”

It was a tight game and, after a scoreless first half, Jake Hegarty struck on the hour mark to help Midleton on their way to a massive three points.

What followed was the pivotal moment in the league race.

“Thankfully, we got the win against Ringmahon. We had Corinthians away next and after going one down we won 2-1.

“The lads showed great character to dig out that win. They showed great belief and bravery to get that result and with Ringmahon losing 1-0 to St Mary’s the same day, it put the league race in our own hands.”

Ringmahon recovered to beat Rockmount 3-0 in their next outing; for Midleton, their next assignment was a home date with Avondale United.

The Dales had run the top two close all season and would eventually finish third, and they threatened to spoil the Midleton party when Matthew McKevitt put them in front inside the final half-hour, and it took a late, late equaliser from Leahy to salvage a point.

“That was probably our poorest performance of the season, but we stayed in the game and James scored what was probably the goal of the season — not only for it’s quality, but also for its significance. 

"Again, the lads showed great resilience, pressing right to the end.”

A 3-1 win away to Rockmount followed for Midleton, while Ringmahon’s 2-0 win over Leeds meant the league was still in the balance heading in to the final few games.

Ringmahon dropped points in a scoreless draw with Douglas Hall and when Midleton beat the Moneygourney side 3-0 in their penultimate league game, the day before Ringmahon shipped up at Corinthians Park for their second-last game, Murray felt that, once again, the title race would go down to the final game of the season.

It didn’t pan out that way, however.

“To be honest, I had not considered anything other than a Ringmahon win over Corinthians. They led 1-0, but an equaliser from  former Midleton schoolboy Eric Cunningham meant that we won the league with a game to spare.”

Those results meant that Midleton would go in to their final game of the season, at home to St Mary’s, as champions.

“That game was completely different to the final game last year, against Cobh. That was a tense affair that we had to win. The atmosphere was much different against Mary’s. We wanted to finish with a win, but the lads deserved to enjoy the last game without any pressure.

“We drew 0-0, but it was a party atmosphere from the start and it was great for all involved to enjoy the occasion with the families.”

Murray was quick to acknowledge that leading Midleton to back-to-back title wins was a group effort and paid tribute to his backroom team.

“I had a very good management team with me — Ian Kirby, Andy O’Donoghue, Gearoid O’Leary, Stephen O’Brien, John Ryan, and Jan Hanriedkman. Without their support we couldn’t have done what we done.

“They have been superb and I’m hoping they will stay involved. We also had great support form the club as a whole, and the community really got behind us.”