Burke content at top-table despite cut-throat nature of competition

Paddy Burke of Antrim in action against Jack Redmond of Wexford. Pic: Matt Browne/Sportsfile

Paddy Burke says Antrim are happy to be operating at a level now where their weaknesses and mistakes are severely punished.

The joint captain has helped the Saffrons to stabilise themselves in the Leinster SHC, operating in the MacCarthy Cup for the third successive year having won the McDonagh Cup in 2022.

Defender Burke, along with attacker James McNaughton won rare All-Star nominations in 2024, while they retained their Division 1B league status more recently.

The appointment of Davy Fitzgerald as manager for 2025 was another display of ambition though winning games regularly at the very top level has so far proved difficult.

Antrim lost their opening Leinster SHC game to Wexford last weekend and will be long shots to score a landmark win over holders Kilkenny at Corrigan Park on Sunday.

"Look, we're at a level with Antrim now which we weren't at before, when I started playing, where if you're one or two percent off you get found out badly, as opposed to being one or two percent off at a lower level and still winning," said Burke.

"You do get found out badly now. But that's perfect, that's where we want to be, at that level where it focuses us to get better and better and address those things to hopefully make our performances as consistent as possible.

"It's definitely something we're aware of and we've spoken about."

Burke said the reality for the first few years of his Antrim senior career was that All-Star nominations weren't seen as achievable.

"I think it was the first nominations in Antrim since Liam Watson got one when they played in an All-Ireland quarter-final (in 2010)," said Burke. "It's a big enough deal that way. I think moreso that if it sets a precedent that in 10 years' time it's a regular thing, and people are actually picking up All-Stars, that would be a better example of where Antrim hurling is at then.

"This is the first step along the way of it being more regular. People coming on the panel now who are 18, 19, 20, hopefully they could be picking up All-Star awards.

"Because it has been so rare, you appreciate it and it's nice to have. It reflects the effort you put in and all the rest but, yeah, I do think it would be a more important thing if it actually leads the way for the younger ones to think, 'I could get an All-Star'.

"That's a realistic aim for them if we can stay competing at that level. When I started playing I wouldn't even have thought about it because we were playing Division 2 and Christy Ring and the rest. That wouldn't have even been something to register with me."

Burke said that former All-Ireland winning Clare manager Fitzgerald has made a big impact with the group.

"He's definitely passionate, there's definitely that side of him that you see," said Burke. "But it's only about 10 percent of what he's like with us overall. But you do obviously need that as well. He's very good at that, at raising the intensity of what we're trying to do in training and games, which is brilliant."

Finishing in the top three in Leinster remains the target though the loss to Wexford has left them requiring at least a couple of big wins in the remaining games.

"The group of players at the minute is ambitious and that's something we've been openly aiming for over the last couple of years," said Burke of qualifying for the All-Ireland series.

"We haven't got there because of our own inconsistency but we've shown we can compete. Davy hasn't come in and said anything different really because the group is already ambitious enough to go for it. Obviously trying to actually take that next step will be the big thing and hopefully we can."