When David Burke speaks, you damn well listen. When he plays, you marvel.
It’s never hard to spot a leader of men. If you allowed yourself one glimpse of that All-Ireland final, you’d have seen a hurler propel himself to extraordinary heights. Burke was playing on another level entirely, completely absorbed in the game and the occasion and charging from the front with no regard for his safety or for any inhibitions that a mere mortal might have on such a day.
Liam was there to be won, David Burke wanted his hands on him more than anyone else did.
David Burke: A leader of men pic.twitter.com/nmWN03rld3
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) September 3, 2017
The midfielder dominated the engine room at Croke Park and led the way with four inspirational scores from play throughout 70 pulsating minutes.
If you weren’t lucky enough to watch him in full flow, one soundbite of his speech on the steps of the Hogan Stand would have you nodding your head in passionate agreement at the selection of this man to captain his county.
There are prescribed leaders, those who managers select and try to mould into a figure-head. Then there are emergent ones. Men who who stand out from the pack. Men who were born for that role and characters who select themselves to lead a team.
Burke is vocal. He’s positive. He speaks with pure and utter conviction and has fire, serious burning fire, at the pit of his stomach.
Every word he screams, he means it and feels it and, as he described the dreams of a 12-year-old boy with Liam MacCarthy sitting in front of him on Sunday, it was only right.
In his victory speech, the Galway captain paid beautiful tribute to the late legend Tony Keady, sparking chants all around headquarters for the man of the match of the 1988 final. Burke also gave a touching nod to young Niall Donohue who tragically passed four years ago.
There was emotion lining right through Burke’s performance and his post-match words. He told RTÉ after the game that he bellied to the team at half time that it wasn’t happening again. After conceding two first half goals and letting Waterford off the hook, Galway could very easily have felt sorry for themselves. Not today. Not on Burke’s watch.
David Burke identifies that moment in the second half when he and his team-mates steeled themselves and dug it out #RTEGAA #GalvWat pic.twitter.com/oVJOZrqUnp
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) September 3, 2017
And just before The Saw Doctors’ N17 blared out around Croke Park, the Tribesman captain roared to the Galway faithful.
“For the 16th man, for the supporters of Galway, this is for ye!”
David Burke's captain's speech in its full 8 minutes of glory. Drink it in, Galway fans #RTEGAA #GalvWat pic.twitter.com/K3aQUmhNQD
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) September 3, 2017
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