‘I went away as a boy and came back a man’
Darragh Burns upbeat for his league return
MANY young footballers are called across the Irish Sea, but not all are chosen when they get there.
Darragh Burns, 21, landed running at MK Dons but with each change of manager – he served under four in jig time – he found himself gradually slipping into the shadows. It was time to assess his options.
The speedy winger, a Cup winner with St Pat’s in 2021, has returned to the League of Ireland with Shamrock Rovers fuelled by a motivation to showcase his abilities.
‘I went away as a boy and came back a man, I think. Not just on the pitch, but off the pitch as well. It’s everyone for themselves over there,’ he observed.
‘If I have a good season it could be massive’
While cynics might interpret the career move as a sideways switch, when you’re not getting a game at League Two, the chance to chase history, play in the Champions League and perform at a throbbing Tallaght Stadium, has to be a step forward.
‘Coming back to Rovers is a huge opportunity for me. Playing in Europe, the club is going for five in a row and haven’t won the FAI Cup in a couple of years. If I have a good season this year it could be massive,’ said Burns.
After ripping it up for the Saints in 2021 and the first half of 2022, Burns signed for MK Dons, who had just amassed 89 points in League One, missing out on promotion to the Championship by a point.
‘MK Dons seemed like the perfect fit,’ he recalled. ‘They had Troy Parrott, Conor Coventry. I remember speaking to Conor Coventry in one of the Ireland camps and he said, “You’re going to love it.”
‘I was thinking, “He’s an experienced player in the 21s, I’ll listen to him.” It was a good experience for him, it was different for me.’
While Burns was at MK Dons, there was upheaval as the high fliers of 2021-22 crashed through the relegation trap-door into League Two last season.
Initially, Burns was progressing smoothly but an untimely injury coincided with the departure of manager Liam Manning who signed him from St Pat’s, and the road ahead became bumpy.
‘I thought I done well with the opportunities I was given, scoring against Watford in the Carabao Cup, and in the FA Cup away at Portsmouth.
‘When I was starting to get a run in the team before Christmas I damaged my ankle ligaments so that wasn’t ideal. A new manager (Mark Jackson) came in and I was injured so that had a knockon effect.’
‘I just couldn’t get momentum. It was like every time I took a step forward I was going two or three steps back.’
With Graham Alexander at the helm, Burns did his best to impress last summer.
‘I remember being left out of the squad at the start of this season, after starting three pre-season games in a row.
‘That’s football. The manager has to manage 22 or 24 lads. I’m not asking him to babysit me.
‘People will say, “Ah that’s terrible”, but you’re in a team environment and once the team is winning, nobody really cares at the end of the day.’
While lacking game time, it helped Burns that Dawson Devoy, the former Bohs midfielder, was a club colleague and neighbour.
‘I used to bring Dawson to training every day as he doesn’t drive. He lived in the apartment above me, so we would have been close. If my Mam was over, Dawson would be over for dinner and if his Mam was over, I’d have gone to his.
‘We would have spoken about it (their situation at Dons). You can do all the talking you want but you can only help yourself really.’
‘It’s ruthless. There were times it was hard but I’m sure that happens to every player in their career. It’s everyone for themselves over there.’ With Devoy on loan at Swindon, Burns made the call to return to Dublin, to regroup and look to kick on again.
‘I kept myself in the right mindset. I knew another opportunity would come about if it didn’t work out at MK Dons.
‘You have to believe in yourself and tell yourself positive things. That will stand to me in the long run.’
Burns has time on his side to catch the eye of clubs across the Irish Sea should that avenue open up again. He has no regrets about giving it a go in the English League.
‘It didn’t work out, I’m not going to cry over it. I don’t think people can say “Oh, it didn’t work out for him over there.” I’m only 21 and excited to get going.
‘I’m here now at a great club. I can’t wait for the first competitive game, Pat’s in the President Cup then Dundalk at home in the league, and to get momentum again.’