Murphy was born in Camp, County Kerry. He played club football for Dingle and at University College Dublin (UCD), where he played for UCD GAA and qualified as a medical doctor. His greatest footballing performance was in the All-Ireland Senior Football Final of 1959, when Kerry defeated Galway in what has become known as "the Seán Murphy All-Ireland".[1] Murphy's performance in that game has been described as the "definitive classical exhibition of halfback play".[2] He was rewarded with the Texaco Footballer of the Year title for that year.[2] Murphy's brothers Pádraig, Seamus & Tomas also played for Kerry.[1]