PICTURE shows the Murphy Brothers in 2012.
FEW sets of brothers have been more successful than the Murphy’s have in the lower leagues of North Wales during the last decade or so.
The five of them – Nick, Jordie, Sean, Mike and Dale – have all enjoyed great triumphs in the local game, even all together at the once formidable Morawelon side based in Holyhead between 2011 and 2014.
It was there that the five of them began to make names for themselves within the local game.
Sean, the eldest brother, was one who was never afraid of a tackle and had plenty of energy in that side, Mike was a strong and commanding defender, Jordie was a pacey player who offered plenty of creativity, Dale was the young goal-getter and Nick was the top shot-stopper in goal.
They were part of a Morawelon side who dominated the North Wales footballing scene, even winning the NWCFA Junior Cup in their first season as a club in 2011/12. That season, they beat Talysarn Celts 5-1 in that prestigious final, with Nick saving a penalty and being awarded the Man of the Match award for his performance.
The club also scooped the Anglesey League and BetFred Trophy to claim a brilliant treble in that debut season and scored more than 300 goals in 66 games during their existence as a club.
Dale, just 17 years old at the time, was one of the most consistent scorers in that side, notching up 32 goals in their first season and a further 39 in the season after.
So what have they been up to since then? And what are they up to now?
As far as I’m aware Sean, 34, and Mike (below), 29, are no longer playing, but did carry on post-Morawelon with Mike having also played for Holyhead Rangers, who are also unfortunately no longer in existence.
26-year-old Dale (below) has been away from the game for many seasons due to work commitments, but in 2015/16, he was part of the Trearddur Bay United side which won the Welsh Alliance One title. The talented forward has just recently signed for North Wales Coast West Division One side Holyhead Town who I’m sure he will bag plenty of goals for when football can resume safely.
Goalkeeper Nick (below), 31, also represented Holyhead Rangers, Holy Isle and Holyhead Town, who he is still a committee member for to this day. His finest moment as a player was undoubtedly that NWCFA Junior Cup final win over Talysarn which will live long in his memory I’m sure.
Jordie is arguably the most successful brother in terms of the level of football he’s gone on to play it. The attacking midfielder has just recently joined newly-promoted JD Cymru North (tier two) side Holyhead Hotspur, who he had once progressed through the youth ranks of.
He played in that division last season too when he starred for Chris Roberts’ Llangefni Town side, having previously played for the likes of Trearddur Bay United and Gaerwen in the Welsh Alliance leagues. Whilst with the Bay, he won the WA1 title alongside brother Dale in 2015/16, scoring 12 goals and then hit 13 there the season after.
2017/18 saw Jordie (below) score 28 goals for Holyhead Town as they were crowned Gwynedd League champions and further back than that of course, in that 11/12 season Morawelon won the treble, Jordie notched 29 goals as he began to establish himself as a great player on the island.
By now, he’s won the Anglesey League, Gwynedd League and Welsh Alliance One titles, as well as the NWCFA Junior Cup and the Bet Fred Trophy twice on his way to becoming a tier two player.
A fantastically talented set of footballing brothers who have achieved so much on Anglesey and beyond with the Junior Cup success!
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