Imports Rushe and Ryan to lead Na Fianna cause in absence of skipper Burke
MAKING WAVES: Liam Rushe of Na Fianna celebrates. Pic: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile
This time three years ago, Na Fianna were fresh off another near miss in the Dublin SHC, a semi-final defeat to Ballyboden St Enda's, but took crumbs of comfort from the rare talent they possessed in Donal Burke.
If they were to finally land that maiden county title, the 21-year-old - who struck 12 points for Dublin in a cracking Leinster championship game against Kilkenny just a few weeks later - would surely be the player to provide the inspiration.
Meanwhile, two-time All-Star Liam Rushe was a St Pat's, Palmerstown player at that stage in late 2020 while Brian Ryan was part of the 36-man Limerick squad that would go on to win the All-Ireland.
Fast forward to last month and when Na Fianna eventually got over the winning line in Dublin, following county final failures in 2021 and 2022, back to back All-Star nominee Burke was surprisingly nowhere to be seen.
Well, that's not quite accurate as the point-poacher was wearing a maor uisce bib on the sideline, having missed the entire campaign with a badly damaged hamstring, while adopted sons Rushe and Ryan were stationed at centre-back and midfield respectively.
That's how it will be again this weekend when Na Fianna take on O'Loughlin Gaels in the Leinster club final at Croke Park.
Burke is still stricken, Rushe - who transferred to Na Fianna for the 2021 season - will man the centre of their defence again while Ryan, who has hit 1-4 so far in the province, will pull on the number eight jersey.
"Brian only came in this year," said joint club captain Burke of Ryan who played for Limerick in both the 2020 and 2021 National League campaigns.
"We would have went to college with him, he's in DCU and he lives there in Glasnevin so he knew a good few of us. He was thinking of moving for a few years and he just said he'd come up and he picked our team."
Ryan scored 1-3 in Na Fianna's first-ever provincial game, the quarter-final defeat of Raharney. Against Naas last Saturday in Portlaoise, he added another point.
"He's been a huge addition, he's been savage for us," said Burke.
Dublin manager Micheal Donoghue will have taken note of the 25-year-old's progress and it would be no great surprise if Burke, Rushe and Ryan all featured in blue in 2024.
Rushe opted out of inter-county activity for 2023 and instead toured the globe with his wife, Sinead, for nine months. They only returned in September and it wasn't until the county semi-final stage that he started his first game of the year.
"He was thrown a little bit it in at the deep end, thankfully it worked out," said Burke, who couldn't shed any light on Rushe's inter-county plans.
"I haven't asked him yet, we'll have to see."
Burke's own situation has been frustrating. He hasn't played a minute since tearing his hamstring off the bone while playing for Dublin against Clare in last summer's Championship.
January is his expected return date and he definitely won't feature this weekend. But what if Na Fianna beat O'Loughlin Gaels and qualify for an All-Ireland semi-final a week before Christmas?
"I'll see how Saturday goes and then we'll probably reevaluate but I definitely won't be taking any risks for this Saturday, unfortunately," he said. "It was always around January that I was hoping to be there or thereabouts for, so I'm nearly there, I'm knocking on the door.
"The first goal is to be back training, to get back on the pitch. Once I do that I can get a bit of leeway to see where I am at. I'm back running and stuff at the moment, it's good to be doing something. Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be able to get back on the pitch."
