John Murphy (Derry Gaelic footballer)

John Murphy, who died in August 2009 aged 83, was a Gaelic footballer who played for the Derry county team and for Seán O'Leary's of Newbridge, with whom he won Derry Championship medals. He played at right half-back when Derry won the National Football League in 1947 by beating Clare in the final at Croke Park, which was the county's first national title and the first by any Derry side. He also played for Ulster in the Railway Cup in 1950. He missed the final through injury and received his winners' medal only in 2008, fifty-eight years later. Away from football he was principal of St Pius X College in Magherafelt, was married with four children, and was buried at Glen, Maghera.