His inter-county career was followed by several periods as a team selector, while he also became involved in administrative affairs as chairman of the Cork County Board and the Munster Council.
Murphy first played Gaelic football with the Bere Island club that enjoyed much success by winning several Beara Junior Championship titles throughout the late 1930s and early 1940s.
His performances at club level also saw him being selected for the Beara divisional team, with County Senior Championship success being achieved after a 2-08 to 1-07 win over Millstreet in the 1940 final.
After just four year the newly-formed club qualified for the 1955 final, with Murphy collecting his second County Senior Championship medal after lining out at full-forward in the 2-04 to 0-09 win over Macroom.
[5] Murphy had been elected to the Cork County Board when his club career came to a sudden end after suffering a broken collarbone when lining out in goal in the 1957 final defeat by St Finbarr's.
[citation needed] Murphy first appeared on the inter-county scene when he was drafted onto the Cork junior team at left wing-back for the 1940 Munster final.
Murphy made his Cork senior team debut as midfield partner to Éamonn Young in the 1942 Munster final defeat by Kerry.
[6] After returning to the starting fifteen for the All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Cavan, he went on to establish himself as Cork's first-choice full-back by the time the team qualified for the 1945 Munster final.
The Cork defence came in for particular praise in rendering Cavan goalless over the hour, with Murphy claiming an All-Ireland winners' medal after the 2-05 to 0-07 win.
Off the field, it was during Murphy's chairmanship that the county board investigated the prospect of building a new stadium to replace the Cork Athletic Grounds.
His two older brothers, John Joe and Cornelius Murphy, joined the priesthood, with the former rising to the position of Dean of the Diocese of Kerry and the latter dying from fever as a young missionary in Nigeria.