Murphy first came to Gaelic football prominence as a member of the Killarney Legion club, with whom he won a County Championship title in 1946.
A bout of pleurisy in 1951 necessitated a six-week stay in hospital and left a legacy which would later end his career.
Murphy claimed an All-Ireland Championship title in 1953 after a defeat of Armagh in the final.
[3][4] Murphy's inter-county career ended abruptly after the 1955 Munster final when a bout of tuberculosis resulted in a 17-month period of hospitalisation.
Murphy also made an inter-county return as a member of the Kilkenny junior football team in 1964.