Conor Burke: Dublin won't settle for moral victories

Dublin went through the provincial group undefeated,  though came unstuck in the final against Galway, suffering a heavy defeat.

Pictured at the McKvr x GPA launch is Conor Burke. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Conor Burke has insisted that Dublin aren't prepared to settle for a good season and the moral victories they've enjoyed so far.

Wing-back Burke has started all 13 of the Dubs' League and Championship games, playing a key role in their promotion to Division 1A and the morale-boosting Leinster round-robin wins over Galway and Kilkenny.

Dublin went through the provincial group undefeated, beating Wexford and Kildare too, though came unstuck in the final against Galway, suffering a heavy defeat.

Saturday's All-Ireland quarter-final clash with Clare in Thurles is an opportunity to reignite their campaign, and also to gain revenge for two defeats to the Banner earlier in the season, including the Division 1B final.

Speaking at the announcement that McKvr is the exclusive apparel partner of the Gaelic Players Association, Burke agreed that Saturday's result will probably frame how they feel about the season overall.

"Yeah, exactly, that's the right way to put it, I'd say," said Burke. "The answer is probably that we'll know by the end of the year.

"Because moral victories against Galway and Kilkenny aren't any good to us in the round-robin stage. We wanted to win the Leinster championship and be measured by silverware, not just victories over the course of a year.

"We're obviously improving and getting closer but at the end of the day, a win like that doesn't mean much if there's nothing to show for it at the end of the year."

Dublin pulled off one of the shocks of 2025, at the same stage of the Championship, when they dumped Limerick out.

That was their one win from 11 competitive games against teams from Munster since beating Tipperary in a League game in early 2022.

As it happens, that February 2022 win over Tipp was the last time Dublin won a game in Thurles. And to underline just how difficult Dublin teams have found it at FBD Semple Stadium over the years, their 2019 League quarter-final win over Tipp there was the county's first since 1946.

"I didn't even know that," shrugged Burke. "You sometimes hear those stats that get thrown out but when you're playing you don't really take much heed of it. Because what does a team that was around 50 years ago have to do with our team, you know?

"It's similar to the result against Kilkenny, I think there had been only one victory over Kilkenny in 65-odd years or something like that. It was like, what does that have to do with our group?

"So that's definitely not an element that we're looking into. It's more about just kind of getting, I suppose, our energy right and getting ourselves tactically prepared for Clare, and trying to beat them on the day."

Reigning All-Star Cian O'Sullivan missed the Leinster final due to an injury while captain Chris Crummey, Liam Rushe and Brenan Kenny all had to come off during the 14-point loss.

"Most of them are looking okay," said Burke. "I think there's one or two waiting on fitness tests this week but overall pretty happy with how they've turned out."

Boss Niall Ó Ceallacháin gave a similar update to Dubs TV.

"I don't think there's anyone ruled out of the game as such," said Ó Ceallacháin. "We probably just need to see later in the week how things are with each of those individuals."

Dublin lost to Clare by three points in the 1B decider and by two points in their opening group game.

"Clare obviously have had a good lead-in time so I'm sure they'll have had plenty of time to prepare," said Burke. "Coming third in Munster gave them the opportunity to rebuild their energy coming into this one, and to work on their preparation."