Graham Burke made sure to deliver for Shamrock Rovers in Europe tonight.
The Hoops forward was the star of the show in Belfast, scoring one sublime effort from outside the box to make it 4-1 after having another goal taken away by UEFA when his glancing header was turned into the net by Larne’s Tomas Cosgrove.
Burke’s header looked to be on target but it wasn’t deemed the case by the powers that be.
“I thought it was my 10th goal in Europe. Luckily enough that came in the second half,” he said with a smile.
Patience has paid off for Burke this season.
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An hour before Rovers’ opening Conference League game with APOEL at Tallaght Stadium he was in the Rotunda Hospital to make sure he was there for the birth of his second daughter – Pippa arrived safe and sound.
“I was watching the APOEL game in the Rotunda. I was thinking if the baby came a little bit earlier, I could get up,” he said. “I was watching on the iPad. Well, I couldn’t really watch much of it but I was trying to pay attention to it”
Burke did see Dylan Watts’ late equaliser when they were down to 10 men but there was no such drama here, Rovers head and shoulder above Irish League champions Larne.
A night alone in the hotel to prepare clearly worked a treat for man-of-the-match Burke. “I did. I was looking forward to that I was, so I had a good night’s sleep and in bed for 10 o’clock and got 10 to 12 hours sleep. I was well rested.”
Burke is 31 now and calf injuries this season have hampered his progress. In 2018 he was a senior Republic of Ireland international, scoring against the USA in Dublin and playing away to France in Paris.
His manager, Stephen Bradley, hailed his performance. “If you’re going on just tonight, I thought he was different level, it was the Graham that got the international call-up. This year has been frustrating for him, but you know you get Graham right, you get him fit and you get him on a pitch like that, a big pitch, he can do that to anyone.
“We have seen that through the years. Sixty minutes of a really, really high level performance from him. He was doing everything that was right in the game, he was making the right decisions at the right moments, understanding when to stay in the pocket, jump out, when to penetrate, when to dribble, it was just the first 60 minutes was really high level.”
Burke strikes his goal. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Burke added: “Back then, I was probably at the peak of my powers say. It’s always difficult to get back there but you strive to get back there. Obviously tonight was maybe like one of back in 2018. Listen, you want to play like that all the time but it’s hard and it’s difficult because so many people are competing for my position. Luckily tonight it went for me.”
Goalkeeper Leon Pohls said Burk was one of the leaders in the Rovers dressing room because of how he takes responsibility on the pitch, perfectly highlighted by his display here. There was a moment in the first half, with Rovers two goals up, when Sean Graham attempted to rattle him with a late tackle and some verbals.
Burke smiled about it afterwards.
“I’m not quite vocal in the changing room, I kind of just try to focus on myself and what I have to do. I’m a bit more vocal when I’m on the pitch. He tried to hit me with a tackle or whatever it was. We had a bit of back and forth. I’m one of the more experienced lads now in the dressing room with the length of time I’ve been here now. I’m not quite vocal, I wouldn’t look at myself as a leader in the changing room but I try to lead by how I play.
“I try to take the ball, I try to create things and try to score goals. I try to be brave on the ball and that is probably my way in leading, to make things happens. Listen, I hit people with tackles. I’m not a great tackler. Sometimes I hit people with a tackle and I could get a red card, I know what way I can get with tackles.
“I’m not that sort of player to make tackles. I lead by taking the ball and being brave in making something happen. That’s how I try to lead.”
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From the Rotunda Hospital to Windsor Park - Graham Burke delivers for Rovers in Europe
FROM THE ROTUNDA Hospital to Windsor Park.
Graham Burke made sure to deliver for Shamrock Rovers in Europe tonight.
The Hoops forward was the star of the show in Belfast, scoring one sublime effort from outside the box to make it 4-1 after having another goal taken away by UEFA when his glancing header was turned into the net by Larne’s Tomas Cosgrove.
Burke’s header looked to be on target but it wasn’t deemed the case by the powers that be.
“I thought it was my 10th goal in Europe. Luckily enough that came in the second half,” he said with a smile.
Patience has paid off for Burke this season.
An hour before Rovers’ opening Conference League game with APOEL at Tallaght Stadium he was in the Rotunda Hospital to make sure he was there for the birth of his second daughter – Pippa arrived safe and sound.
“I was watching the APOEL game in the Rotunda. I was thinking if the baby came a little bit earlier, I could get up,” he said. “I was watching on the iPad. Well, I couldn’t really watch much of it but I was trying to pay attention to it”
Burke did see Dylan Watts’ late equaliser when they were down to 10 men but there was no such drama here, Rovers head and shoulder above Irish League champions Larne.
A night alone in the hotel to prepare clearly worked a treat for man-of-the-match Burke. “I did. I was looking forward to that I was, so I had a good night’s sleep and in bed for 10 o’clock and got 10 to 12 hours sleep. I was well rested.”
Burke is 31 now and calf injuries this season have hampered his progress. In 2018 he was a senior Republic of Ireland international, scoring against the USA in Dublin and playing away to France in Paris.
His manager, Stephen Bradley, hailed his performance. “If you’re going on just tonight, I thought he was different level, it was the Graham that got the international call-up. This year has been frustrating for him, but you know you get Graham right, you get him fit and you get him on a pitch like that, a big pitch, he can do that to anyone.
“We have seen that through the years. Sixty minutes of a really, really high level performance from him. He was doing everything that was right in the game, he was making the right decisions at the right moments, understanding when to stay in the pocket, jump out, when to penetrate, when to dribble, it was just the first 60 minutes was really high level.”
Burke added: “Back then, I was probably at the peak of my powers say. It’s always difficult to get back there but you strive to get back there. Obviously tonight was maybe like one of back in 2018. Listen, you want to play like that all the time but it’s hard and it’s difficult because so many people are competing for my position. Luckily tonight it went for me.”
Goalkeeper Leon Pohls said Burk was one of the leaders in the Rovers dressing room because of how he takes responsibility on the pitch, perfectly highlighted by his display here. There was a moment in the first half, with Rovers two goals up, when Sean Graham attempted to rattle him with a late tackle and some verbals.
Burke smiled about it afterwards.
“I’m not quite vocal in the changing room, I kind of just try to focus on myself and what I have to do. I’m a bit more vocal when I’m on the pitch. He tried to hit me with a tackle or whatever it was. We had a bit of back and forth. I’m one of the more experienced lads now in the dressing room with the length of time I’ve been here now. I’m not quite vocal, I wouldn’t look at myself as a leader in the changing room but I try to lead by how I play.
“I try to take the ball, I try to create things and try to score goals. I try to be brave on the ball and that is probably my way in leading, to make things happens. Listen, I hit people with tackles. I’m not a great tackler. Sometimes I hit people with a tackle and I could get a red card, I know what way I can get with tackles.
“I’m not that sort of player to make tackles. I lead by taking the ball and being brave in making something happen. That’s how I try to lead.”
He showed that tonight.
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