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Emily Murphy flying for Ireland but Magpies remain best perch for now - Rachel Graham

Emily Murphy of Republic of Ireland during the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifier match between Republic of Ireland and Poland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Emily Murphy scored Ireland's opening goal against Poland in Gdansk

Over the last number of windows, it has become increasingly clear that Emily Murphy has joined the likes of Katie McCabe and Denise O'Sullivan as one of the standout attacking outlets in the Republic of Ireland squad.

Three consecutive Player of the Match awards in World Cup qualifiers against France, the Netherlands and Poland is testament to that.

And at 23, Murphy has plenty of time ahead of her. But with her star on the rise for the national team, the English-born forward's club career will also come into focus.

She has been at Newcastle United since January 2025 when she signed her first professional contract and is very settled at the club by her own admission.

Newcastle currently play in England's second tier Women's Super League 2 and while Murphy has the potential to make the step up to the top flight, she will be best served staying put and gaining consistency and experience, according to Shelbourne's Rachel Graham.

"She's definitely improved a whole load in the last couple of years, for Ireland especially," said the ex-Girls in Green international on this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast.


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"She's flying in confidence coming into camp, how she's played in the last couple of games.

"She's at Newcastle now, who are WSL2, and she's been abroad, she's been at Chelsea when she was young, she went to America and now she's back at Newcastle.

"But I think if you're a club looking at her, you want to see her doing well week in week out in that WSL2 and she has six goals in 20 games. It's not loads for a centre forward.

"If you're looking at signing someone from WSL2, if you're going off stats it's probably not going to be her you're looking at.

"I think we're just so used to now seeing her in such flying form for Ireland that we can see her potential.

"But I think if she's chasing after a WSL1 club, I think it's more consistency she needs in the league - more goals, more starts.

"I do think she has the potential and we've obviously seen it. We've seen her put it up against the weaker nations in Poland but also against the top nations in France as well, so she is capable of it.

"She's still very young as well, only (turned) 23 recently so loads ahead of her but I don't know if a move is the best thing for her at the moment.

"She's getting a few goals, she's good in confidence. Sometimes you go to a higher league team and you're probably defending more.

"She's not going to sign for a Chelsea, or an Arsenal or a Man City, so is she better off at a Newcastle where she can get a good amount of minutes and a couple of goals under her belt?

"I think right now it's probably not the time for her to move but I think in the future she can probably start targeting going to WSL1."


Watch Lyon v Arsenal in the UEFA Women's Champions League semi-finals on Saturday from 1.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player

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