THE SERIOUSNESS OF Dónal Burke’s injury was quickly apparent from the moment he pulled up against Clare in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final.
His day out in the Gaelic Grounds lasted just eight minutes, leaving the field with a troubled hamstring as the Banner powered into the semi-final with a five-goal blitz.
Na Fianna manager Niall Ó Ceallacháin could sense the wider implications of Burke’s injury for their club campaign immediately. And when the official diagnosis of a Grade 4C tear filtered through, it was clear that the All-Star nominee could not be considered in their plans for the Dublin championship.
Burke had torn his hamstring off the bone, an injury which ended the rugby career of Ireland and Munster great Paul O’Connell and kept the Mobhi Road forward on the rehab road for the next six months. After finishing third in the 2023 list of top scorers with 2-59, it was a devastating sign-off.
After losing the 2021 and 2022 finals, Na Fianna defeated Ballyboden by 2-19 to 0-9 last October. Burke was the captain but would have to embrace a different role within the group as they embarked on a historic journey to a first-ever Dublin senior title.
“He’s our captain and he showed great leadership throughout that period which wasn’t an easy time for him. It was a very serious injury for a lad who takes his sport as seriously as he does. It’s not a nice place to be and he played a part for other lads in the wider collective.”
Ó Ceallacháin, a fellow Na Fianna son, has known Burke and his family his whole life. Parents Liam and Ita are “steeped” in hurling, meaning Dónal was exposed to the sliotar from early doors. He developed through the ranks at a time of great underage success for the club, harvesting minor and U21 titles with a group that also included current Dublin panellist Colin Currie, while Currie’s brother Seán was just a few years behind.
So, when Burke was unable to contribute to Na Fianna’s run to championship honours and a Leinster final appearance, he found other ways to leave his print on their success.
“He’s one of those people who just commands respect immediately,” says Ó Ceallacháin.
“He’s not a talker and he’ll never be overly vocal but he’s our captain. He leads by example as opposed to other means. How he did it last year was through one-on-one conversations with lads. He’d be smart enough to recognise what’s needed and when. He’s very sharp and knows what’s required. He would have had lots of little engagements with them.”
When he could, Burke would carry out his recovery work alongside his teammates during training sessions. Even if he couldn’t hurl with them, there was at least the illusion of togetherness for them all to lean into. He also had their empathy and support to sustain him through the long walk back to full fitness.
“Sometimes it’s assumed with elite players that they’ll come back from injury and they’ll be fine,” Ó Ceallacháin adds. “Anybody who’s been through something of that scale, that hamstring tendon injury he had is not a straight road. But he managed it well.”
Burke made his comeback for Dublin in a league clash with Limerick back in February. It was a resounding victory for the reigning All-Ireland champions but Burke’s haul of five points was a relieving sight for Dublin fans. He finished their Division 1B run with 1-16 from three games, and has shifted through the gears in the championship.
He broke his nose against Wexford in the Leinster opener, but powered through after receiving some treatment to score seven points. He added another nine against Carlow, 1-11 in a thumping victory over Antrim and picked Kilkenny’s pockets for 14 points.
But his performance against Galway is the pick of the bunch.
Michéal Donoghue’s side travelled to Salthill knowing a victory would send them into a first Leinster final since 2021.Burke finished the first half with 1-4 from play and 1-10 in total in a scintillating display to end Galway’s participation in the 2024 championship and book another final date with Kilkenny.
Burke is attracting more eyeballs with his form this season, but within Dublin hurling circles, his talent was no secret.
“He’s probably been the shining light for Dublin for the last four or five years,” Ó Ceallacháin notes.
“He was always a standout with the hand and hurl ability he has. He wasn’t a bolt and he didn’t come from nowhere.”
Free-taking is another weapon in Burke’s armoury. Two of his points against Galway came from frees while there was also a ’65 to his credit. His name was on the Twitter vine last year after converting an opportunity inside his own half in the closing minutes to help ensure a two-point win over Wexford.
Donal Burke fires over a free from well inside his own half to seal victory for @DubGAAOfficial #GAANOW pic.twitter.com/KgACuP3bMl
— The GAA (@officialgaa) May 6, 2023
Was his hamstring injury a potential blessing? Ó Ceallacháin is not so sure; setbacks of that scale are “never a blessing” for any player to receive. And any improvements in his game are a product of his own application which long predates his injury woes.
“What he does well is very obvious. He’s doing what he’s always done but doing it that bit better,” he says.
He put 10 points past Kilkenny in the 2021 Leinster final and was clearly difficult to handle again when they met in Parnell Park last month. With his hamstring fully restored, and the form he’s showing at centre-forward, Dublin’s chances of lifting the Bob O’Keeffe Cup will hinge on Burke’s accuracy in front of the posts.
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