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RTÉ News
a day ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Fintan Burke confident Leinster final letdown is in rearview mirror
Galway full-back Fintan Burke laments that they went away from their preferred style in the Leinster final but is confident they've learned from their mistakes ahead of the quarter-final. The hurling side of the county was enveloped by gloom after their latest misfire against Kilkenny in a provincial decider, the fourth such defeat in the last six years and possibly the most demoralising. In his post-match press conference, Micheál Donoghue said that Galway failed to "implement their own style" and had spent the first half "lorrying it from too far out and Huw Lawlor was dominant". Thirteen points down in the second half and with the contest apparently petering out to a dismal conclusion, Galway did rally, bringing it back to a four-point game before Mossy Keoghan capitalised on a goalkeeping error to put a stop to the comeback. Burke is frustrated that Galway played so much of the game on Kilkenny's terms but says the late burst was an indication of what they were trying to achieve. "We have a lot to work on, given our performances," Burke told RTÉ Sport. "But I think there are a lot of positives. Inside the group, we see the way we're trying to play. It's coming to fruition. "We just need to bring that for 75 minutes, more than for 10 or 15 minute spells. "That was kind of us hurling how we want to hurl. It's disappointing how we went away from what we were trying to do. We probably were OK for the first 20 minutes. "They obviously got the goal just before half-time which was a bit of a killer. We probably went back into our shells and didn't express ourselves as much as we'd like to. "We probably played the game on their terms." At the beginning of the season, it was signalled that Galway were entering a transitional period. All-Ireland winning manager Donoghue returned to the hotseat on a four-year term and a remit to refresh the side. Stalwarts from the 2010s like Joseph Cooney, Gearóid McInerney and Adrian Touhey all departed the panel before the league. However, the team is still notably reliant on veterans from the 2017 All-Ireland success, with Cathal Mannion carrying an inordinate amount of the scoring load, David Burke still roving around midfield and Daithí Burke a reassuring presence in the full-back line. There have been some new-ish faces, with the likes of John Fleming nailing down a regular spot at wing-forward. Burke insists the perceived transition period will take some time. "Management have been before and they're bringing a nice new group of young players who are bedding into the time. "It takes time. It's not going to happen overnight. We know that. But we also don't want to use that as an excuse. "We want success now. But it probably will take a bit of time - but hopefully not too much time." On the flipside, Galway's quarter-final record has been considerably better than their Leinster final run over the past decade or so. The Tribesmen are on a run of five straight wins at this stage of the competition, stretching back to their Johnny Glynn-inspired demolition of Cork in the 2015 quarter-final. Two of their last three wins in this round came against Tipperary, Aidan Harte's late goal turning the 2020 encounter in Galway's direction. In 2023, Galway were far superior to Liam Cahill's side, with only wasteful shooting preventing a lop-sided scoreline. While they are deemed heavy outsiders against a Tipp team who appear rejuventated in 2025, Burke is confident they have put their Leinster final disappointment behind them. "The sooner we can get over the last game, the better. You spend a day or two looking back and trying to figure out what went wrong and what you can improve on. "Then, the games are coming so fast, you don't have time to ponder. You're back in training and looking forward to the next day." Watch the All-Ireland Hurling Championship quarter-finals, Limerick v Dublin and Galway v Tipperary, on Saturday from 3.30pm. Follow a live blog on and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch highlights on The Saturday Game at 9.15pm.
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Blow for Galway as Burke a major injury concern ahead of All-Ireland quarter-final
Fintan Burke is a major injury concern for Galway ahead of their All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Tipperary on Saturday. Burke is not expected to feature in TUS Gaelic Grounds after it was found his knee injury is worse than was originally feared. The St Thomas's man hurt his knee minutes prior to the Leinster final and was replaced in the closing stages of the first half of the defeat to Kilkenny. He had damaged it prior to the Round 1 game against The Cats in April. Speaking about the injury last week, 27-year-old Burke played down its significance. 'I got a small niggle in my knee. I have it, probably have it a few weeks now, and I just kind of hurt it in the warm-up. 'I thought I might run it off, but obviously when you're on a player of the likes of TJ [Reid] and Mossy Keoghan inside, it's hard enough to mark them when you're fully fit. So look I said it was time to go before any more damage was done.' In 2019, Burke tore his cruciate in the All-Ireland senior club final defeat to Ballyhale Shamrocks. If he is unable to play, Darren Morrissey will be expected to replace him, having come on for him in Croke Park earlier this month.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Fintan Burke says Galway must let their hurling do the talking after Leinster final ‘frustration'
PRODUCING the type of display that leaves pundits gushing is Galway's aim against Tipperary — but Fintan Burke admits TV analysis is not his cup of tea. Looking ahead to the 2 Fintan Burke insists Galway must bounce back after the Leinster final defeat to Kilkenny 2 Burke also admitted that he's not one to ponder over tv analysis after a game The St Thomas' man was also asked if he sat down to watch Burke laughed: 'I'd watch the match but not the analysis. 'I'd leave the analysis and go and have a cup of tea. There's a lot of talk I wouldn't agree with at half-time.' When it comes to the opinions expressed by former players on live broadcasts, ignorance is bliss for Burke. READ MORE ONN GAA He explained: 'Sometimes it'll creep into your mind. You could be sitting at half-time for 15 minutes and you'll be saying, 'What are they saying about us?' 'If you don't know what they're talking about, you don't know what they're focusing on. 'Sometimes a lot of what is said at half-time is just to fill in the 15-minute gap. 'A lot of it has no relevance to how the game is going.' Most read in GAA Hurling As for the 3-22 to 1-20 defeat to Kilkenny, Burke does not require the input of any analyst to know that Galway's performance was not up to scratch. Having fallen 13 points behind by the 57th minute, the Tribe rallied by firing 1-6 without reply. 'Just in time for Father's Day' - Dublin GAA legends welcome the birth of precious baby daughter But a stoppage-time goal from Mossy Keoghan killed off the comeback as the Cats landed their sixth straight provincial title. Burke reflected: 'There's probably a positive and a negative in that we've seen what we can do when we let our hurling do the talking once we get into the flow. 'But we left it too late and Kilkenny deservedly won. 'The most disappointing thing for us is that we didn't hurl how we wanted to and we didn't express the brand of hurling we're trying to express. 'We kind of played it on Kilkenny's terms.' Following their previous loss to Kilkenny in a Leinster final — in 2023 — Galway rebounded by advancing to an All-Ireland semi-final at Tipp's expense. They will hope to repeat the dose at the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday. The return to the hotseat of Micheál Donoghue, the man who steered them to Liam MacCarthy Cup glory in 2017, brought renewed hope to Galway entering this year. And Burke, now in his sixth season of senior inter-county hurling, is keen to claim some Championship silverware. But he said: 'There's no panic. There's frustration and disappointment at our performance. 'But it's not going to be an overnight thing of Micheál coming in and winning All-Irelands. 'It's going to take a year or two for lads to kind of knit in, the younger lads to get used to the older lads and vice versa. 'But we still want to be successful at the same time. 'A few of us are pushing on a little bit and you don't want to be waiting three or four years to be successful. 'It's kind of about finding the balance in between.' TIPP TEST If Galway are to prevent Tipp from reaching the last four of the All-Ireland race for the first time since 2019, a leading role is likely to be played by Cathal Mannion. The Ahascragh-Fohenagh marksman has been thriving since undergoing a procedure to address a long-standing Achilles issue last winter. His fine form continued with an 11-point haul against Kilkenny. Burke said: 'People outside the county probably would've forgotten the level of hurler he is. 'In fairness to us in the group, when you see him day in, day out and week in, week out doing it in training, you're not really surprised, to be honest. 'I'd have him as one of the best to come out of Galway
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Galway's Fintan Burke bullish in advance of championship quarter-final against Tipp
Fintan Burke had to sit through the second half of this year's Leinster final and watch as, for the third time in four seasons, Galway lost a provincial decider to Kilkenny . Burke entered the game with a slight knee injury and, during the warm-up, he aggravated the problem. He tried to 'run it off' in the opening stages of the contest but came ashore just before half-time 'before any more damage was done'. But what damage has been done to Galway's Liam MacCarthy ambitions because of that loss remains to be seen. They must pick up the pieces of that 3-22 to 1-20 defeat and deliver a performance against Tipperary in Saturday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final in Limerick (6.15pm). Galway have won the last three championship meetings between the sides, with Tipp's most recent SHC triumph over the Tribesmen coming in 2016. READ MORE 'The most disappointing thing for us and for the group is that we didn't hurl how we want to hurl,' said Burke of Galway's Leinster final display. 'We didn't express the brand of hurling that we're trying to express, which we kind of played on Kilkenny's terms, which is disappointing.' The Tribesmen did string together a revival late in the second half, reducing a 13-point deficit to four twice in the closing stages. But that surge left as many questions as answers. Where was that intensity earlier in the contest? This is the first season of Micheál Donoghue's second term as Galway senior hurling manager. During his first spell, he led the Tribesmen to All-Ireland glory in 2017. 'As I said a few times, it's frustration and disappointment at our performance more than anything [in the Leinster final] and like we know it's not going to be an overnight thing, Micheál coming in and winning All-Irelands. 'It's going to take a year or two for lads to kind of knit in, the younger lads to get used to the older lads and vice versa. But still at the same time, we want to be successful now, there are a few of us pushing on a small bit like and you don't want to be waiting three or four years to be getting successful.' Cathal Mannion will be needed if Galway are to get over the line against Tipperary this weekend. Photograph: Andrew Paton/Inpho If they are to get over the line against Tipperary and set up an All-Ireland semi-final against Cork, chances are Galway will need Cathal Mannion to the fore. Mannion has been in exceptional form this season and for large parts of the Leinster final he alone carried the Galway fight to Kilkenny, finishing the game with 0-11 of their total. 'I suppose he was probably carrying a knock over the last year or two, and in fairness, he got that sorted over the winter. 'People outside the county probably would have forgotten the level of hurler he is. In fairness to us in the group, when you see him day in, day out and week in, week out doing it in training, you're not really surprised, to be honest. In my opinion, I'd have him up there as one of the best ever that's come out of Galway, to be honest.' Whether other analysts of hurling agree with Burke or not, he can't be sure because listening to critics wouldn't be his thing. Burke watched the Munster final the night before Galway's Leinster decider, but stepped away from the screen at the interval. 'I wouldn't watch the analysis, I'd leave the analysis and go have a cup of tea or something. There's a lot of talk there that I wouldn't agree with at half-time. 'I think sometimes a lot of what is said at half-time is just to fill in the 15-minute gap, it has no relevance to how the game is going or how the result is going.' As for the debate on the difference between the Leinster and Munster hurling championships, Burke sees no point in pouring fuel on that particular fire. 'It doesn't bother me and I don't think it bothers anybody on the team. I just think comparisons sometimes it takes away the joy, why not sit back and watch the Munster final and just be like, 'what a class game'. 'And go and watch the Leinster final and if you feel personally that it wasn't at the same standard, well what about it. If every game of hurling was to that standard ... it's not going to work like that. 'So, I just think personally go enjoy whatever you enjoy, you don't need to compare.'
The Irish Sun
08-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Fintan Burke ready to spark Galway revival in Leinster SHC final showdown against Kilkenny
FINTAN BURKE knows Galway short-circuited last summer and the defender revealed that his side 'bottled that up' into winter fuel. This time last year, 2 Fintan Burke of Galway 2 Fintan Burke and Galway face Kilkenny in the Leinster final on Sunday afternoon To add insult to injury, Micheál Donoghue was in the alternate dugout that day. Shortly afterwards, That exit paved the way for the return of 2017 But the positive charge supporters had been hoping for was grounded in their Leinster opener, when an amped-up read more on gaa However, Burke and Co have transformed their fortunes since that April 19 defeat, surging into today's Leinster final rematch with the Cats on the back of four consecutive wins. Electrician Burke reckons the memories of last season can spark his side as they chase a first Bob O'Keeffe Cup since 2018. He told SunSport: 'After last year it's nice, it makes it that much sweeter to be back in it. "It was bitterly disappointing, the fact we didn't really show up and do ourselves justice in a number of matches, more so than the Dublin game. Most read in GAA Hurling 'I think lads kind of bottled it over the winter and used it as motivation. 'It didn't really need to be said. It was in everyone's head. Lads didn't want it to be brought up — they didn't want to be reminded of it — but they were thinking about it at the same time.' Having tasted All-Ireland minor glory — in the forwards — in 2015, Burke made his SHC debut in 2020. And the St Thomas' man never had to look too far for inspiration. His cousin David captained the Tribe to Liam MacCarthy Cup glory in 2017, with their debuts coming a decade apart. The pair claimed All-Ireland club honours together in 2024, but sharing inter-county silverware can become a reality if they do the business today. Now Fintan, 28, is one of Galway's older statesmen but David's presence as a conductor in the dressing room remains as key as ever. Fintan said: 'He would have been a massive influence. 'He's seven years older than me, he would have been on the county team a few years ahead of me and he would have always been good to me. 'When you go in training he'd be giving you words of advice. It's fairly easy to look past it, but it is very helpful to have someone like that leading the way. 'I suppose a lad of his age and experience is . . . you can't have enough of them. "Even when you go through stages of games where younger lads might panic or you might be under a bit of pressure or something, he's always there with a wise word or a set-play or something just to control the game or the next play. 'His hurling alone is more than enough to have him in there — not to mention his knowledge.' TITLE TILT Winning a fourth Leinster title for the county would be a huge achievement for this group given the influx of youth. Donoghue cannot call upon Joe Canning, Aidan Harte, Gearóid McInerney, Johnny Coen as he could when Galway won their last provincial crown in 2018. But stalwarts Daithí Burke, 32, and David Burke are still leading the charge. Fintan has never won Leinster honours but Pádraic Mannion, Cathal Mannion, Conor Cooney, Jason Flynn, Tom Monaghan, Jack Grealish and Conor Whelan also remain. However, after last season a reset was required and a player overload during the league yielded fresh energy in the form of John Fleming, Joshua Ryan, Anthony Burns and Rory Burke — who made their senior bows this season — along with Gavin Lee and TJ Brennan. Fintan Burke revealed: 'It's been good so far, lads are buying in, you see by the amount of lads Micheál brought in, there were 70-something lads in at the start — it's refreshing.' And the ace feels the current is flowing again with all the bright sparks. He said: 'I consider it almost successful the way it is now, when you look at the number of bodies we've used. 'We've used 40-something lads in the league and touching on 30 in the Championship, so it's a case of building for the future while trying to be successful. 'It is probably a hard question to put a solid answer on, but I'd be happy enough with the amount of young lads that are coming through and getting experience and building for the next few years. 'They are pushing hard and there's a serious competitive nature to every training session. 'We've definitely improved bit by bit, slowly but surely we've probably improved. "Whether it's enough to get over the line against Kilkenny is hard to tell, but we're going to need to improve another good bit to get there.'
