BURNING AMBITION
MICHEAL BURNS admits Dr Crokes are trying to cash in while the going is good as they seek a fifth provincial title this decade.
As reigning All-ireland champions, the Kerry outfit were surprise losers to Cork’s Nemo Rangers in the AIB Munster decider last year.
They got their revenge with a big 5-20 to 1-11 victory over St Finbarr’s two weeks ago, and now St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay stand in the way of another provincial crown at the Gaelic Grounds.
Burns and his team-mates will be in for a busy festive period with a league county final to come against Kerins O’rahilly’s in early December, and with the East Kerry championship still to be finished. And, if they get the expected win in Limerick tomorrow, they’ll have more work to do in the All-ireland series.
“We’ve been on the road a long time, won an All-ireland in 2017, and got to a Munster final last year,” acknowledged Burns. “The secret is just trying to maintain that high standard.
“And when you’ve got players who’ve won way more than I have, driving standards and still wanting to win, then you think if they have the motivation, I better have it too, or else there’ll be someone else playing in my place.”
A case in point is Colm Cooper, who came off the bench to score three points in the semi-final.
The Gooch hasn’t got a start since falling ill before the earlier win over Kerins O’rahillys.
“It’s not like a fear thing, either,” said sharpshooter Burns, who scored 1-1 a fortnight ago.
“The lads on the bench know they have a job to do, to contribute just as much as anyone else, and it’s more just a want for success than thinking some fella is going to take your place.
“We know we have a good side at the moment, and want to win as much as we can while we have it.”
The 22-year-old student is thriving in the tiugh schedule for the Killarney side, despite the heavier ground at this time of year.
“I love playing games,” said Burns. “Even after the county final you’d think you’d be a bit lethargic, but that buzz of going on the road again, going up to Tipperary, a hostile ground, and I remember waking up on the Tuesday morning and thinking.
‘Thank God we’ve another game’.
“It was the same with the Super Eights
(with Kerry) this year.”
His first senior game for his club was against another Clare club,
Cratloe, five years ago, in the Munster final – with Dr Crokes only winning by a point.
“We’ve played plenty of Clare teams in the past and they always come strong,” he said.
“Club football in Clare is fairly underrated.”