LEINSTER SHC FINAL:GALWAY MUST plan without David Burke for Sunday's Leinster hurling final against Kilkenny after the midfielder opted not to contest the automatic four-week suspension following his red card in last week's replayed semi-final win over Offaly.
Burke was dismissed by referee Cathal McAllister 17 minutes into the second half of a contest Galway eventually won 3-17 to 2-18 thanks to inspirational late scores from Joe Canning and Ger Farragher.
The ban was confirmed by the Central Competitions Control Committee this week with the hurling board told the offence was “attempted kicking” of Offaly’s Kevin Brady. It appeared to be an act of retaliation after Galway were awarded their first free of the second half. Burke will not be presenting a case to the Central Hearings Committee.
“It still seems unfair, but we have to live with it,” said Galway hurling secretary John Fahey.
Speaking yesterday in Dublin at the Supermac’s GAA jersey campaign launch, Canning still appeared mystified by the Burke incident and his “point”, a few moments later, being called as a wide. “The ‘point’ . . . the other umpire after the match told me it was three or four foot inside the post, you know, and he couldn’t do anything about it, and that has to be looked at as well.
“Davy Burke was very harshly done by, he didn’t connect with anybody, and I think the aggressor got away it. And, you know, Davy’s not a dirty player and hopefully we’ll have him back sooner rather than later.”
The disallowed point, however, is not Canning’s Frank Lampard moment as he stopped short of seeking video technology to clarify matters instead calling for improved communication between match officials.
Sunday’s collision is guaranteed to come with a health warning but the strictness of the officiating is a concern to those on the ground.
Both teams are aware that a certain level of physicality will be required but Canning is at pains to state hurling should not be under the microscope in this regard.
“But hurling wasn’t dirty. Hurling was never dirty. There has been more red cards this year I’d say than in five years put together probably for nothing. There has been no dirty stroke to say, ‘yeah, he deserves a red card’.
“It’s a physical game and with the way they’re going now it will end up as a game of tiddlywinks in a couple of years’ time and that’s not the referees’ fault, it’s not the officials’ fault, it’s the higher people that are telling them what to do.”
Burke is joined on Galway’s absentee list by Niall Healy, whose hamstring went after being introduced against Offaly, while Canning is nursing a damaged hand, Iarla Tannian a quad strain but David Collins remains the most serious concern with a calf injury that ruled him out of last Saturday’s match.
Canning is expected to take the field against Kilkenny, who reported a clean bill of health last night, although Galway manager John McIntyre will probably hold off releasing a team until Saturday.
There is also the concern of playing a third match on successive weekends, something that may have attributed to their defeat to Waterford last season.
“You want to be in peak physical condition and you want to be as fresh as possible. Obviously that’s not going to happen when you are actually after playing the last two weekends.
“We’ve seen it last year when we played Waterford and we got caught.”
