We have nothing to lose now, insists Burke

GALWAY captain David Burke insists there will be less pressure on the Tribesmen in the upcoming All-Ireland final than there was before last Sunday’s dramatic semifinal against Tipperary. And the St Thomas’ clubman says that there is a lot more in the Leinster champions than they showed when ending Tipp’s reign as AllIreland kingpins, thanks to Joe Canning’s injury-time wonder-score. ‘I definitely think there is more in us,’ the midfielder said in Croke Park yesterday at the launch of the Fexco Asian Games. ‘There won’t be as much pressure going into it (the final) so that might help us as well.’ Burke believes the fact that last Sunday was the third summer in a row that they faced Tipperary at the semifinal stage added to the pressure and tension in Croke Park. ‘We were playing Tipp in a semi-final for third year in a row and they were onepoint games. Even going to 2014, they beat us in Thurles. It was tit-for-tat and whoever was going to win would get one up. The fact that they were All-Ireland champions and we got over the line, there might not be as much pressure on us going into the final.’ Burke accepts that Galway will be favourites to end their 29-year wait for the Liam MacCarthy in the

All-Ireland final, irrespective of whomever wins in this Sunday’s semifinal between Cork and Waterford, but he feels the players should embrace the tag. ‘We probably will be favourites but we have been favourites for every game this year so it won’t be any different. We just have to deal with that,’

THE final Test in this year’s International Rules series will be the last match at the soon-to-be-redeveloped Domain Stadium in Perth on November 18, the AFL confirmed yesterday. This year’s two-game series will open at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday November 12 with Joe Kernan’s Ireland side defending the Cormac McAnallen trophy after winning the one-off test game at Croke Park back in 2015. The former Armagh manager is back in charge of Ireland this time with Geelong coach Chris Scott taking charge of the Aussies. Tickets for the 2017 International Rules tests have gone on sale via afl.com.au