Ian Burke aware good times might not last forever for Corofin
Ian Burke knows there is a cohort of Corofin players that have never lost a county championship game — but is constantly reminded about the fallow times.
Burke, who is fit for Sunday’s Connacht final against Ballintubber after recovering from a broken rib, himself was on the losing side once in 2012, the year prior to Corofin commencing the six-in-a-row.
“I was playing the day Tuam beat us, I think about seven years ago… a lot of the younger lads would probably never have lost. I remember my dad playing, he went years without winning a county title, for a lot of years, so he doesn’t be long telling me that the good years mightn’t last forever.”
Burke isn’t one for believing Corofin’s dominance will continue forever. “The club’s a funny one, it comes in cycles. We’re very lucky and privileged at the moment, and we’re very aware of that, where we are at the moment it’s hard to stay at that level consistently. We’re enjoying it at the moment and taking every game, but you can look back in years to come and see what you’ve done. At the moment we’re more focussed on Ballintubber.”
Burke speaks proudly of his cousin Daithí who has been able to jump in with Corofin despite other commitments to Turloughmore and the Galway hurlers, ties which have at times conflicted. Daithí also missed the win over Clann na Gael but is back to face Ballintubber on Sunday.
On the big day he seems to be able to perform,” says Burke. “He looks after himself well, bodywise, he minds himself well, gyming and dieting, which allows him to perform at the highest level.
“Yeah, you see his performances for the Galway hurlers and then to come back and give similar performances with us, it’s a fair testament to the lad and fair play to him. We’re only too delighted to have him on our team.
“Daithí can come, not whenever he wants, but he arrives more so towards the latter end of the Galway club championship. He hasn’t played in the early ones because of hurling commitments and that, but, yeah, he just comes and he’s more than happy to be a bit part player, to be starting, whatever, just to involved and to stay involved. If he can offer something, he’s delighted and we’re more than happy to have him.”
Picking up his first All-Star and Galway football’s first in 15 years earlier this month as Daithí claimed his fourth consecutive hurling honour, it was a special night for the clan. Kevin Walsh, who was the last Galway footballer to pick up one in 2003, informed Burke the night before the ceremony.
