These chances don’t come around too often. Not for GAA players anyway.
Daithí Burke has had a busy year.
He has been training with the Galway hurlers since December 2016. From December to February, he was balancing his Tribesmen hurling commitments with football for Corofin.
Corofin reached the All-Ireland club football semi-final last year, where they were beaten by eventual champions Dr. Crokes on February 11.
The day after that loss, Galway began their 2017 campaign when they travelled to O’Connor Park to take on Offaly in the first round of the hurling league.
Daithí Burke has been on the road since then. He’s been doing his county proud since then, he’s been doing Turloughmore and Corofin proud, too. This man doesn’t owe them anything.
After Galway raised their first Liam MacCarthy Cup in 29 years in September, Daithí Burke was straight back into the action.
Burke’s club Turloughmore were embroiled in an eligibility dispute in the Galway senior hurling championship, which eventually saw them thrown out. He was training and playing with Corofin all the while.
The All-Star hurling full back made substitute appearances for the club on their march to this weekend’s All-Ireland quarter-final against Fulham Irish in Ruislip.
We send best wishes and safe travel to our senior team as they take on London champions Fulham Irish in the All-Ireland Club SFC Quarter-final in McGovern Park, Ruislip at 1.00 pm on Sunday next. We also wish our supporters travelling over a safe journey.
— Corofin.GAA (@CorofinGAA) December 6, 2017
He would more than likely have been a sub for Saturday’s showpiece. It’s a game that Corofin are 1/20 to win. They will progress to the last four stages of the competition barring a miracle in McGovern Park.
Daithí Burke earned his All-Star. This trip to Singapore involves 50 hurlers, 50 of the best hurlers in the country. They will be playing an exhibition match on Saturday evening.
More importantly, though, this is an opportunity for them to relax after a busy season. It’s a chance for them to bask in the glory of their achievements in 2017. Achievements that were borne out of their commitment to the game, their commitment to the GAA.
Commitment that forces them to cancel holidays, to postpone trips and to miss out on things that we all take for granted.
Daithí Burke will return home next week and Corofin will more than likely be preparing for an All-Ireland semi-final in the new year.
It’s not often that GAA players are afforded the chance to take a break from the game. They can’t be blamed for taking it when it comes.
