Fintan Burke ready for Croke Park decider

By Cian O’Connell

“We are probably lucky in a sense in that we live in the middle of nowhere,” Fintan Burke says about the way St Thomas’ maximise resources.

Six Galway SHC titles on the spin have been won by Thomas’, who sampled AIB All-Ireland glory in 2013. It has been a truly remarkable spell for the club because hurling matters so deeply. “There is nothing else really happening in the parish, there is no soccer, no football, there is literally nothing, only hurling,” he adds.

“The lads are good, they stay interested. We don't lose too many lads to different sports or different aspects of life which is a massive help.”

Resilient and determined, Thomas’ summoned a daring display at the penultimate stage to defeat Ballygunner. The game went the distance, but Thomas’ survived. Once again. “It is probably that we don't panic, we wouldn't let small things upset us, if a team got a goal, it is just a game of hurling, get on with it,” Burke remarks.

“Don't be thinking about what is gone in the past, all you can do is hurl the next ball. We wouldn't let ourselves get into a rut. There is nothing that we do differently than anyone, don't get me wrong, a lot of it is down to luck, and on days the ball just happens to break for us, and we get a crucial score.”

The Ballygunner match flared from start to finish. In the chaos, though, players had to remain calm. “It was probably one of those games that you don't take any notice of when you're in the middle of it,” he reflects.

“Really, it isn't until you go home or see it on social media on the way home or watch it back the next day, that you realise just how good a game it probably was.”

Kenneth Burke had Thomas’ primed for that encounter. “It was probably the first game in a long time that we actually had everybody fit,” Burke adds. “We had nobody injured, that was probably a big help. Not just physically, but mentally knowing you had a full deck to choose from, that was probably a big help.

“Lads were nearly looking forward to it, having a crack at them because we weren't given much of a chance. It was nearly just a free crack to see how you get on, it takes that bit of pressure off.”

Now, another tussle at Croke Park against O’Loughlin Gaels beckons. David Burke’s return following a serious knee injury towards the closing stages of the Galway SHC boosted Thomas’ further. “It was a big lift to us having him there, even in the latter group stages and quarter-final, knowing he was coming, that if we stayed winning there was a chance he'd make it back,” Burke acknowledges.

Since triumphing 11 years ago, Thomas’ have endured some harrowing losses in the All-Ireland series. “Yeah, it is obviously a small bit frustrating, but it isn't something that we dwell on too much,” Burke replies.

“Obviously, we were beaten every day by the better team, probably the only frustrating thing is the odd day we didn't perform ourselves.

“Nobody likes losing, but you don't mind losing, if you show up, performing to the best of your ability. The days we didn't show up, when we didn't hurl well, that probably hurts a small bit more.”

In recent times Thomas’ have added emerging talent to an already successful group. That has provided hope and inspiration according to Burke. “You could hold the same XV for a few years, but I don't think that is going to do you any good in the future,” he says.

“It is awfully important to keep the young lads coming through and interested. Even fellas that aren't even on the panel yet, when they get to see young fellas being integrated, it gives them more hope and more desire to get on to the panel.”

Another occasion at GAA headquarters featuring the red and blue of Thomas’ will be useful too.