Watching brief for injured Donal Burke as Na Fianna make breakthrough

The Dublin star suffered a horrific hamstring injury against Clare last summer.

ROAD TO RECOVERY: Dublin star Donal Burke has missed out on his club's recent success. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

It's the injury which ended Paul O'Connell's rugby career, and which almost did the same to GAA stars like Brian Hurley and Joe Canning, so Dublin hurler Donal Burke is taking no chances.

The All-Star nominee tore his hamstring off the bone in the opening minutes of Dublin's All-Ireland quarter-final loss to Clare last June and hasn't played since. The cruel irony is that his most challenging period in the game has coincided with his club Na Fianna's greatest ever season and their maiden Dublin SHC title win.