Changing outlooks
Burke delighted with players’ attitude and application
FROM well before the throw-in of this Allianz National Football League Division 4 clash to the moment when he left the field there was nobody as animated in Aughrim on Saturday than Wicklow manager Davy Burke.
The energy, enthusiasm and spark that the Kildare native brought to the fixture was incredible and even his post-match chat after the stunning 7-11 to 0-7 victory over Antrim was electrifying as he spoke passionately about his group of players who have so obviously bought into his plan and his philosophy.
We started by asking Davy about his thoughts on the game we had just witnessed where Wicklow players worked tirelessly and showed huge composure on the ball and insatiable hunger off it.
‘It was decent enough. I felt we prepared very well. September 14 or whatever it was (when the players came back), we had the lads doing a bit on their own beforehand, the likes of Darren Hayden, Dan Keane, they were knocked out early (of the club championship), probably disappointed with the club, and they got their own bit done and as you seen, Darren Hayden there, 75 minutes there. I felt preparation was very good, and when you prepare well that’s sometimes what happens.
‘It’s very simple. When you see lads working like that and tackling like that – I can tell you they’re great fellas but the proof is in the pudding. And when Eoin Darcy comes out and tracks 50 meters to turnover a ball, how many good corner-forwards do that, not a lot of them do that. It’s not in their nature. But if you want to play for Wicklow it’s in your nature. Or you need to get it into your nature, Seanie, or Chris, or ‘Jumbo’ (James Sheerin) or whoever else is in there. So that’s it,’ he said matter of factly.
All through the game Burke could be heard imploring his players to hold the ball and to not take it into the Antrim heartland where they would be prone to turnovers and that swift Antrim counter attack. Every time Wicklow had the ball they were instructed to be patient, to probe, to wait for runners. It was a plan that was well rehearsed.
‘Antrim have a very distinct style. They want you in the 11, they want you to run straight into the 11, bottle you up and break and hit you. They did it to Limerick. Limerick gave us a hiding earlier in the year, really brought us down to earth and then Limerick went up to Antrim the following weekend and were just murdered on the counter attack, kept taking it up the middle, kept taking it up the middle, turned
over and broke. We were adamant that that wasn’t going to happen to us. We spent a month on that. You could hear us roaring, when they run in, ‘turn and out’. That’s what they want, and why are we giving them what they want. They’re coming to Aughrim, do you know what I mean? We were never going to give them what they wanted,’ he said.
Burke was hugely complimentary on the new players that have been brought into the camp and he says that the Wicklow players are as good as what’s out there and that the new players are putting pressure on the older ones in terms of the starting 15.
‘Paddy O’Keane there, this stuff about Wicklow, Paddy O’Keane is as good as what’s out there. Podge O’Toole is as good as what’s out there. Pat Burke, Saoirse Kearon, Peter Hemperstall and the few others, they’ve came in and I mean they’ve changed the whole dynamic of the squad. Excellent, absolutely excellent. The improvement in the squad, quality now. You’re talking serious operators, Saoirse Kearon, Pat Burke. Now Davy Devereux is on trouble for next weekend because will Pat Burke start? It’s all about competition. Donnelly (Niall) is in trouble because Dean can slot back to six, Saoirse Kearon can go midfield. Rory Finn came on, wasn’t happy. I had some sticky calls to make yesterday, you know. Rory Finn, not often he’s left out of a Wicklow team. But it is what it is,’ he added.
Team captain Dean Healy fired over a magical score at the death in this game, a score his performance in the trenches fully deserved. Davy Burke couldn’t speak highly enough of the Pat’s man.
‘That’s Dean Healy. He’s a warrior. I haven’t got enough good
things to say about Dean. He’s a quality operator, a beast, He suits me down to the ground, hits everything that moves,’ he said.
It’s off to Wexford this weekend in a huge game for both sides following Wexford’s impressive victory over Limerick in Rathkeale on Sunday afternoon. Burke says that he won’t be entertaining any talk about players missing because of Covid or new managers or anything like that.
‘Nothing has changed. We have to go two from two, that’s it. Scores don’t make any difference to us. Two from two and you’ll get your rewards. My job now for seven or eight days, you know, expectation levels. Coming up against a right good Wexford team. You could throw everything out there, a couple of Corona cases, manager left, we won’t buy into any of that stuff. Wexford Park... you’ll be landed out on your arse in two seconds so you won’t hear any of that from me this week. My job is to get them fit. Dan Keane picked up a knock, hopefully get him back right and we’ll be in Wexford Park next Saturday.
‘Antrim are still in it. We’re on eight, it’s a bit of spanner for a few teams, and we’re delighted to throw a spanner in there, not going to lie to you. We’re right in the hunt and as far as I’m aware if we get over the line next Saturday that should be enough. I think we are in a healthy enough position,’ he said.
There’s a real spark in this Wicklow squad. As Davy Burke said you won’t see players working like this Wicklow team did on Saturday if they are not in a good place in terms of morale and spirit.
‘I was happy. We prepared well. They’re a good bunch, a diligent bunch, they’re mad for road. They’re an exciting bunch
to work with. Have we limits? Of course, we’ve limits. But will they leave everything out there? 100 per cent they will. I think it’s new for them. I’m younger. The management team might be tuned into the college life, might be tuned into the women, or tuned into whatever else is going on. I think they’re enjoying that, honestly, I think they’re enjoying that. But this is no good to us unless we get over the line next Saturday,’ he said.
The Wicklow boss is also a big fan of the enforced structural changes of the championships due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Wicklow club championship taking place prior to the resumption of inter-county led to five new players being drafted in.
‘We brought five (players) in off the back of it (the club championship), and to be honest if the championship stayed like this every year it would suit me inter-county wise. I believe our keeper Mark Jackson got a huge kick out of Baltinglass, the huge run with them, his form, consistency, his kicking, his accuracy, you could see it was brilliant. Didn’t really have that in January or February, still top class but didn’t have the same fluidity to his game. Six or seven games in the championship, you can’t beat it. I was impressed with the club championship in Wicklow. We brought in five lads off the back of it. Again, five difficult conversations for the lads who have to leave the panel, but I suppose that’s what management is all about. But, in general, the club championship, I was very happy with it, and I would like the structure of it, in that it gave me six or eight weeks to watch every player. I came in late last year, everyone knew that, so I didn’t know enough.
‘There’s not one player in Wicklow we don’t have that we want. And that’s a testament to those lads in there. If I make a call to you and if there’s any huffing or puffing, it’s good luck.
‘There’s not one player in this county I want who is not in that
dressing room. At the end of the day, I made calls this year and lads are saying ‘oh I’ll see what happens’. See you.
‘I’m ringing Pat Burke, he was half way up and ESB pole, he works for the ESB. I rang him after Baltinglass, gave him his few days after Baltinglass (won the county title), he was half way up a pole and he says, ‘oh, Jackson said you’d be ringing, Jackson said you’d be ringing’. And I said, ‘Pat, are you interested?’ And he said, ‘am I what?’
‘And that’s the response. Too many people strangle counties and strangle teams by ‘they need me’. We don’t need anybody. That’s what we need in there (pointed towards the dressing room),’ he said.
In terms of the playing of the games with rising Covid-19 cases and the growing public disdain towards the GAA for continuing with their competitions, Davy Burke says it is a safe environment and gives people a vital outlet.
‘Is there anywhere safer than where we are now? I would do anything to keep this going. If it means no meals, takeaway meals, meetings outside, I don’t care what it means.
‘The enjoyment levels are there to turn up with a group of men every Tuesday and Thursday. I get the kick out of that, and you can see that they’re enjoying it. You don’t tackle and work like that if you’re not enjoying it. We’d train and play every day outside to restrict movement and limit the risk. I want this to push on. I want championship.
‘I can’t wait to get home today. There’s a heap of games on the telly. What else are you going to do? You can’t go to the pub, can’t go to the restaurant, can’t go to the cinema. Let’s do it. Mental health is hugely important for us. What else are we going to do? I know what I’ll be doing tomorrow – rooted to the couch for four GAA games and getting it in the ear probably,’ he joked.