MARTIN McELHINNEY believes Michael Murphy is the GOAT — but says the Donegal veteran still needs the help of the herd around him.
Tír Chonaill icon Murphy made a sensational return to Jim McGuinness’ squad this year after retiring from inter-county football in November of 2022.
And at the age of 35, the 2012 All-Ireland-winning captain has picked up where he left off, terrorising opponents and leading the charge as his county made it back-to-back Ulster titles by beating Armagh after extra-time last month to strengthen their credentials as Sam Maguire contenders once more.
His former team-mate McElhinney was a winner with him on that famous day at Croke Park in 2012 and he rates Murphy as the greatest the game has ever seen.
He told SunSport: “He’s phenomenal, and he’s a phenomenal character first of all. I know you can harp on about it all the time but he’s such a proud Donegal man and he always puts the team first.
“A lot of people thought he was just going to stand inside and kick a couple of points and help out, but he’s putting everything he can into making sure Donegal win.
“It is unbelievable. He’s the best player that’s ever played, just from playing with him and watching him play the whole way up through underage.”
Donegal shone in the early stages of the this year’s league before taking the foot off the gas. They then saw off four opponents to keep their hands on the Anglo-Celt Cup.
An assault on Sam looked very much on at that stage but Tyrone clipped their wings in Ballybofey in the All-Ireland series, snatching a 2-17 to 0-20 victory in the sides’ group-stage opener.
Even then, Murphy was still Donegal’s standout performer with 0-8.
The Glenswilly star fired another 0-7 in the 3-26 to 1-13 demolition of Cavan to help get his side back on track, while Mayo stunned Tyrone in Omagh to blow Group 1 wide open with all four teams now on two points.
Donegal sit top on scoring difference but can still finish in any of the group’s four positions.
Avoiding defeat against Mayo at Dr Hyde Park tomorrow will ensure passage to the knockout stages and they would still go through in third place if they lose but Tyrone beat Cavan in Enniskillen.
But they would take first place and go straight to the All-Ireland quarter-finals if they win and the Red Hands do not or if both games are draws.
Donegal won their group last year and made it to the All-Ireland semi-finals for the first time since 2014, only for Galway to end their summer at Croker.
Four-time Ulster champion McElhinney can see the potential in McGuinness’ squad to go even further but says it is crucial that every player steps up to the plate, not just talisman Murphy.
McElhinney added: “He’s phenomenal and he brings everyone else on about five or ten per cent just by being there.
“I’d say that was probably Jim and the backroom team’s biggest thing — but he’s matching it up with performances.
“He’s putting his body on the line and he’s trying to make other people better players. On the downside, other players are probably taking a back seat hoping that Murphy is going to do it, you know?
“Last year, everyone was flying without Murphy and you’re thinking, Michael is back now to add in that extra bit you need.
“But you just hope other boys don’t shy away from the task, letting Michael do it all, and just come up and try and deliver performances with him.”
LAST MEN STANDING
Murphy and skipper Paddy McBrearty, 31, are the only survivors from Donegal’s class of 2012, who claimed Sam for just the second time in the county’s history.
McElhinney was shocked when Murphy walked away two years ago but was even more stunned when he was lured back.
The St Michael’s man said: “I’m surprised Michael came back first of all, but I always thought he retired too early and he had the ability to keep going for another couple of years.
“People think Paddy is older because he’s been around for so long but Paddy and Michael are obsessed with football and have unbelievable attitudes, so I’m not surprised they’re still going.”
Former stars Neil McGee, Colm McFadden and Marty Boyle are all part of McGuinness’ backroom team and McElhinney is thrilled his old pals are delivering the goods on and off the pitch.
He added: “You always knew the likes of Colm would go into management in a way, because he’s a calculated person. He’s a deep thinker, you ask him a question, he thinks about it before he really answers you.
“But it’s great to see them boys involved and they all bring different things to the backroom team, and not just because they were successful in 2012.
“They all have different attributes that Jim would want. Neil, Marty and Colm are very different people.
“That’s one thing Jim was always good at, he always had different characters in the backroom team and it wasn’t all the same type of personality, and I think you need that.”
‘SERIOUS CHALLENGE’
Now they need another performance. McElhinney replaced McBrearty in the final stages of the 2012 All-Ireland final win over Mayo but both squads have changed dramatically since.
Aidan O’Shea is Mayo’s sole survivor from 13 years ago when first-half goals from Murphy and McFadden were decisive in an edgy 2-11 to 0-13 win. Murphy was man of the match.
And McElhinney expects another Donegal victory tomorrow.
He said: “Mayo are a serious challenge. People thought they were finished and all that, but no way.
“Paddy Durcan is probably as good a player as you’ll get in Ireland.
“He came back from a torn cruciate and played one game against Tyrone and he was man of the match, and Aidan O’Shea has caused Donegal a lot of problems down through the years.
“The harder the task for Mayo, the more they seem to rise up and take it.
“Sometimes when they play against the so-called lesser counties they end up nearly getting caught, but when they’re against the bigger teams, they’ll always put in a performance.
“They’re very proud down there and they’re always confident.
“They’re kind of a bit like Tyrone in a way, that they feel they can win an All-Ireland every single year, and that’s a great thing to have.
“But this Donegal team are well experienced now under Jim, they’ve a lot of very good players and I think they can be good enough to come out on top.”
