Joey Murtagh '91

Joseph “Joey” Murtagh hails from Port Richmond and built his reputation playing for neighborhood club teams such as Cohox and the Kensington Ramblers. Murtagh bloodied his limbs on many of the scarred inner-city fields, such as Montkiewicz and Newt's, which is famous for its cinder surface. (Visiting suburban teams sometimes mistook the field for a parking lot.) Murtagh went on to become a PCL Champion when he played for the NC Falcon team of 1990 who defeated Monsignor Bonner 3-1 for the title. Joe was twice named All-Catholic during his days at North. He was also an All-City selection for the 1990 season.

After graduating from North in 1991, Joe Murtagh by-passed playing College Soccer to compete on the Professional level in the NPSL. He started his Pro Indoor career with The Denver Thunder in 1991 where he was named to the All-Rookie team. He then went onto the Baltimore Spirit before being traded to his hometown Philadelphia Kixx where he played alongside fellow Falcon greats Don D’Ambra, John McIntyre & Pat Morris. Murtagh helped the Kixx become the first expansion team to qualify for the NPSL playoffs in its first year. Murtagh also posted the most power-play goals for the Philadelphia Kixx in 1997.

Murtagh played for several more seasons in the NPSL for Detroit, Tampa Bay, Chicago and Edmonton before retiring from Pro soccer. He continues to coach youth soccer in Philadelphia neighborhoods and is active in Soccer camps and academies.