The hurling championship throws in this weekend - without David Burke. The Galway talisman will be just under two weeks post cruciate knee ligament surgery.
At 34 he’s not thinking too far ahead, but Burke is hoping to return for the group stages of the Galway Championship if reigning champions, St. Thomas get there.
Burke is a huge loss to Galway for his leadership and his ability. Few, if any, have given more to the Galway cause over the past decade.
He ruptured his cruciate in an attacking drill at training just over a month ago and underwent surgery at Santry Sport clinic.
“Myself and another player were going for a ball and I just didn’t get my left knee down on time so all my body weight went on to my right knee,” he explains.
“I was in woeful pain at the time.”
In the new era of the split season Burke knew straight away that his Galway year was over - even if it hadn’t been the cruciate.
“It was hugely disappointing,” he said. “It’s going to be very hard, even getting back for the club.
“Talking to the surgeon, it’s nine months realistically. That’s what they say.
“So it’ll be very tight but I kinda have a target in my head to get back for the knock-out stages of the club if I can. It all depends.
“Rehab could go well but you can get set-backs and I’m mentally prepared for that after the initial disappointment of it.”
The St. Thomas man continued: “Fintan Burke would have done his (cruciate) in 2019.
“Shane Cooney got a knee injury two years ago as well.
“Sean Linnane in the Galway set-up as well. Just talking to guys who’ve come out the right side of it and what they’ve gone through.
“It’s a huge mental injury. You have to set yourself small targets. (You) can’t be looking too far ahead, even though that’s what everyone would be talking to you about.
“Just getting back off the crutches and walking normally again, that’s what you have to do.
“I mightn’t get back hurling, it just all depends on how rehab and recovery goes.”
Burke plans to hurl for Galway again, but doesn’t want to look too far ahead.
“I think it is too early (to say),” he says. “A lot of people have asked me, even (ahead of) this year.
“I’ve always said I‘ll see how the body is after the club.
“In fairness Henry (Shefflin) gave myself, Conor (Cooney) and Fintan (Burke) January off this year which was a huge thing for me, mentally, to get a break (after St. Thomas run to the All-Ireland semi-final).
“Because 90 to 95percent of inter-county players look after themselves so well in the off-season, it’s more a mental break they need.
“I haven't closed the door on it (hurling for Galway again). I'll see how the rehab and the recovery goes.
"All going well, you'd like to. But you don't know how things will go. You just don't know.
“I might go back training for a month and the next thing I'm not able to do it. It's very hard to tell at this stage."
Burke is on one crutch now and due back to his teaching post in Loughrea next week.
He’s also stayed on board with Galway and will help out with video analysis and stats.
“I think it's just about keeping yourself occupied,” he remarks.
“Even going to training with the lads over the last couple of weeks, watching it and helping out in any way I can, it's been a plus and it keeps you sane, I suppose.
“I always like to be doing something. (I’m) living with my partner Laura and she’s already giving out to me for doing too much.
“I’m able to walk around the house without the crutches. But I’m one of those people alright who has to be doing something all the time.
“But I’ll have plenty to be doing while I’m there. I can be watching matches and helping out the guys in the backroom team.
“Henry wants me to stay around so whatever way I can (help), I’ll do. I can be watching games when I’m laid up and have idle time.”
Saturday’s Round 1 Leinster opponents, Wexford have given Galway their fill of it at Salthill over recent years.
Their resurgence started with a February league win in 2017, early in the Davy Fitzgerald reign.
That victory ignited Wexford. It helped them win promotion to Division 1 and turn over Kilkenny in the League and Championship later that year.
“I think the narrative out there is that Wexford hadn’t a great league and Galway hadn’t a great league either,” says Burke.
“I think both blooded a lot of new guys. Wexford have done well in Pearse Stadium.
“They turned us over in the League and the last time they came in 2019, they drew with us.
“When they have their fully fit team, they are really good and we’re the same.
“If we can hurl the next day hopefully we should get over the line but it’s all about performing.
“It’s very hard to go off the form of both these teams after the League, so it will be interesting to see what they come with because everybody has been kind of knocking them down.”
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