Barry Murphy set for third spell with Saints

Goalkeeper Barry Murphy is back for his third stint at St. Patrick’s Athletic.

The experienced goalkeeper, who has made over 300 senior League of Ireland appearances, had stepped away from the game last season due to work and education commitments but Stephen O’Donnell has brought him back to Richmond Park for the new campaign.

"I'm delighted to be back,” said Murphy speaking with his club’s media team. “I've been training the past couple of days and it's been good to get back playing and meet the new lads coming in.

"It's a young, hungry group and I am hoping to add some experience to what is going to be an exciting year.

“I took a year out the last season, which probably wasn't a bad a year to take out [due to Covid], but I've kept myself ticking over.

"Alan Mathews and Stephen O'Donnell got in contact with me and I am delighted and excited to be back part of it again, and to be in with a squad that looks like it's going to be really competitive this year."

He made his League of Ireland debut as a 19-year-old in 2005 with Shamrock Rovers where we won the club’s Young and Senior Player of the year in his first season. He won the First Division title with Rovers in 2006.

Having moved to Bohs in 2011, his first spell at St. Patrick’s Athletic was in 2012. He subsequently returned to Rovers until 2016 (overall he played 266 competitive games for Rovers) before playing with the Saints between 2017 and 2019.

"I'm delighted to get Barry on board,” said Saints Head Coach Stephen O’Donnell. “He's a really good goalkeeper and professional. He has a great attitude and will give us a vast amount of experience and ability having played in the league for over a decade.

"He is a great character to have in the group and to compete with and help Viteslav Jaros and Josh Keeley."

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— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) March 11, 2021