Born in Cloughduv, County Cork, Barry-Murphy first played competitive hurling during his schooling at St Finbarr's College, Farranferris. He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of twenty when he first linked up with the Cork junior team before later joining the senior side. He made his senior debut during the 1926 championship. Barry-Murphy immediately became a regular member of the starting fifteen, and won four All-Ireland medals, five Munster medals and two National Hurling League medals. The All-Ireland-winning captain of 1929, he was an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.