Dunphy began his career with
Barnsley before following manager
Allan Clarke to
Lincoln City in the summer of 1990. However, disaster struck Dunphy in a pre-season match against
Leeds United when he was stretchered off with a serious knee injury. The injury would keep him out of action for almost two years and it was not until April 1992 that Dunphy made his debut for Lincoln. The 1992–93 season saw Dunphy establish a regular berth at the heart of Lincoln's defence and he would go on to make 31 league appearances that season. The 1993–94 season saw Lincoln, under the stewardship of new manager
Keith Alexander, make a sticky start collecting just four points from the first six league games. Following the 1–0 home defeat to
Mansfield Town on 11 September 1993, Alexander transfer-listed most of his squad and dropped a number of players, including Dunphy, from the team. Dunphy soon linked up with
Doncaster Rovers on loan, making a solitary league appearance against
Bury on 16 October 1993 before returning to
Sincil Bank. He returned to the team towards the end of the season but found himself loaned out to
Scarborough at the commencement of the 1994–95 season. ==Non-league career==