JACK THE MAN FOR BIG STAGE

GRAHAM BURKE and Jack Byrne are the two playmakers that Shamrock Rovers hope can conjure up a moment of magic to win the FAI Cup.

But Burke himself admits he is still in awe of Byrne’s (above) raw talent even though he sees his fellow Irish international in training every day.

“I don’t think we’ve seen a player like him in this league. We haven’t seen that level of ability before,” he told Mirror Sport.

“We’re different players as I’m driven on goals and he’s driven on setting up people and his ball control is completely different.

“I can’t see the passes that Jack plays. Then you see people trying to get the ball off him and he’s twisting and turning with that low sense of gravity.”

Burke added: “You see the admiration and adulation he’s getting now with the Ireland caps. I know where that comes from and how it feels - it’s special.

“If you look at both our stories, they are similar - a kid coming back from England and not in the best of form. Football is going one way but then you come out the other side.

“I did it and he’s doing it. The only difference is that I left again and I’m not sure what Jack wants to do.

“He knows himself but the season he’s having is unbelievable. The nine goals is something but the 20-odd assists is just incredible.”

Burke admits he will be racked with nerves facing into today’s final - but that is nothing new.

“I’d get quite nervous before games but this is even bigger again,” continued Burke.

“But as a footballer, you put demands on yourself. But while the gap between Dundalk and us wasn’t what we wanted, l we’re closer than we have been.”