Murphy is a former Ireland under-19 and under-21 international, playing in the UEFA Under-19 Championships in 1999. In May 2007, Murphy received his first call up to the senior Republic of Ireland squad for the two-game American tour against Ecuador and Bolivia.
Murphy was an underage international for Ireland, competing in the 1999 UEFA Under-19 tournament. Two years later, in May 2007, he got his first chance to play with the senior Irish squad during a two-match trip to the United States against Ecuador and Bolivia.