BY MATTHEW WILSON
BURT hurlers are preparing for a historic encounter this weekend as they meet Easkey in the All-Ireland Junior Hurling Club Semi-Final.
Burt have enjoyed a wonderful winter to date, securing the Ulster Hurling Club Championship title, with a narrow one-point win over Lavey before sealing the Twinning Cup with victory over Tomas MacCurtains from London to book their place in the last four.
Speaking to the Donegal News, Burt star Conor Gartland discussed that the success that the club have achieved in recent times is brilliant for the group and it has brought real excitement in the area.
“Delighted isn’t the word to be honest. Our manager Enda was talking about it the last day at training, it’s not too often that you’re still hurling in the middle of December with your club.
“The Ulster Club is a brilliant success for us. Even winning that Twinning Final, it’s the furthest the club has ever gotten in the All-Ireland Series which is brilliant for us.
“If you look at the results, we’ve made it hard work for ourselves but I suppose that might show the never say die attitude which may come in handy for us.
“At the minute, there’s a great buzz about the club altogether. The kids are loving it, the cup’s been taken around the schools and that reminds you of what you’re doing it for at the end of the day. The younger generation are all onboard and it’s great to see.”
The Hibernian Park residents lost their county crown back in August, suffering a semi-final defeat to Setanta who they overcame in the decider the previous year.
However, they’ve regrouped in the months since in a bid to salvage something from the season, which they have certainly done with this run.
Enda McDermott’s outfit have been without a number of individuals from last term which has come as a blow although Liam Óg McKinney has returned to the squad in recent times and has made a significant impact for the side.
“Liam Òg isn’t replaceable at a county level nevermind at club level and we can’t overlook the impact that he’s had. For one circumstance or another, the County Championship didn’t go well for us.
“Even when we started out with Enda (McDermott), he got what seems an unfortunate enough cause as Callum Pervis and Ciaran Porter were going to America, Ciaran and Patrick Curnin both did the ACL’s and then you’ve Liam gone as well.
“It just didn’t fall our way in the County Championship but as soon as that was over and we were told that we’d have a run at Ulster, it just seemed that everyone was onboard and wanted to make something of it. Thankfully we got there in the end.
“Our goal once we were put out of the County Championship was to try and get as far as we can in Ulster, just taking one game at a time and we’re in bonus territory now to be honest.”
Courtesy of their Twinning Cup triumph against Tomas MacCurtains at the end of November, the Burt men now have an All-Ireland Semi-Final to look forward to this Saturday.
They face Sligo side Easkey at Father Tierney Park this weekend, with a historic All-Ireland Final spot up for grabs.
The Yeats County outfit have enjoyed an abundance of success at provincial level in recent years and will certainly provide McDermott’s side with a stern test.
Gartland is aware of the calibre of side they’re coming up against at the Ballyshannon venue this Saturday however, he insists that it’s a challenge that they’re going to relish.
“Easkey will be the best team we’ve played so far, I’ve no doubt about that. Lavey were a very good side and Tomas MacCurtains had a lot of very skillful hurlers but that Easkey team will be the best one we’ve played so far.
“I’d know who a lot of their players are from county level, they’ve eight or ten county lads on their team and that’s massive. I think they’ve won four Connacht Junior titles in-a-row and a team like that isn’t one to be sniffed at.
“We’ve got the underdogs tag going in but a lot of us boys, as Burt and Donegal hurlers, have spent our whole career as underdogs. We’re going to relish the challenge anyway and take it to where we can.
“As I said, we’re probably in bonus territory now anyway but that doesn’t take away from the fact of how much we want to beat Easkey this weekend.”
All-Ireland Final’s with your parish are a special occasion which don’t come around every day, something that the talented Burt hurler is aware of.
A place in the competition’s decider would come as an early Christmas present for everyone associated with the club but Gartland expressed that the group’s sole focus is the challenge that lies ahead this weekend and he is hopeful that they can get over the line.
“The thought of an All-Ireland Final with your club, it’s something that doesn’t happen. It’s a once in a career thing, if even, and you’d be very fortunate to get that.
“There’s no part of us that’s looking towards that at the minute, Easkey is all we’re worried about. We know the challenge that they’re going to bring, they’re carrying that favourites tag but we’re confident within ourselves that if we can turn in a performance then we’d be hopeful that we can get over the line at the weekend.”
