End of an era as Burke hangs up her inter-county boots
After 14 years wearing the maroon and white of Galway senior ladies’ footballers, two-time All-Star Sinead Burke, who announced her retirement from inter-county last weekend, says she cannot believe how quickly the years pass by.
“Blink, and it’s almost over,” says the 31-years-old. “I remember coming in as a 17-years-old [in 2007] and looking up in awe at Lorna Joyce, Ger Conneally, Aoibheann Daly, all the big names, and, now, everyone is looking at me as the seasoned player. The years tick on so quick and they don’t be long passing you by.”
That may be so, but the Oughterard native and former Galway captain has left her mark, winning nine Connacht medals, a National League Division 2 medal and two All-Stars. Some argue that it should have been more – in 2014 she was one of three players nominated for LGFA Player of the Year and, yet, she didn’t receive an All-Star!
One of Galway’s and the LGFA’s greatest players, Burke has achieved everything in the game, except win an All-Ireland senior title.
“Starting out, there were great intentions and hopes to replicate what the girls did in 2004.
“We were so close for many years, but, unfortunately, we couldn’t get back to the final and, when we finally did [in 2019], we couldn’t jump that final hurdle. I have such great memories, though. I loved going into the dressing-room and putting on a Galway jersey and representing my club, family and friends.”
Now living in Armagh, where she lines out with Armagh Harps, and teaching in Scotstown in Monaghan, she does admit that if she was living in Galway, she wouldn’t have hesitated to give it another year. However, the journeys from Armagh to Galway have just taken their toll the last two years.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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