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23rd December 2017
02:05pm GMT

"How the hell did he drop that one? sure there's nobody marking him."It's a game of fine margins. It's a game that requires the closest possible thing to perfection. That's why goalkeepers are perfectionists, that's why a lot of them are stone cracked on this pursuit of perfection. It was a tough one to choose only five, because there are some great hurling goalkeepers in Ireland who didn't make this list. Take Limerick's Nickie Quaid, take Wexford's Mark Fanning and take Laois net-minder Enda Rowland. All top class stoppers, but we had to make a decision, and here's how we rate them.
He's a solid shot-stopper too, and he copes well under the high ball.
The only reason he's number four is because he's up against some of the best goalkeepers hurling has seen.
Keeps on pulling the incredible saves out of the bag. Despite being under serious pressure in almost every game he plays - he's made few if any unforced errors in the green, white and gold in his 66 appearances since 2010.
Shot-stopping isn't his only forte, this man has everything you'd want from a goalkeeper in his arsenal - including fearlessness, capability under the high ball and speed.
It's never aimless, though, his reactions, his hand-eye-coordination and his ability to get that 35" extension of his arm to block even the most ferociously struck missiles is just pure class.
O'Keeffe has good puck-outs, he regularly offers himself up for struggling defenders.
He has it all, really.
There are three reasons he's not number one.
With a flick of those wrists, and a spring of those sprightly heels he can propel his body and his hurl from one corner of his goals to the other just like that.
His eye is always in, his reflexes and his reactions are always smart, and that's what allows him to make saves like this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uZJ2VESCXg
Kilkenny supporters are well used to stops like that at this stage, and it must be so Black and Amber defenders to have a brick wall like that behind them.
He barely, if ever makes an error, and that's what sets him apart.
JJ Delaney certainly loved having that sense of security behind him when he was there.
“What I like about Eoin Murphy is when the balls coming in, he’s so comfortable on the ball himself," began Delaney. “He played centre back there for W.I.T there a couple of years ago and he was absolutely brilliant, he plays centre forward for the club. He’s so intelligent, you never see him miss-hitting the ball, right or left. "He’s very comfortable on the ball, you know by him coming out past forwards, he’s very good at taking the tackle, actually avoiding the tackle more than anything.High praise. Deserved praise. That's why he's the best in the business.
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