'I wouldn't be playing if I didn't think we had a Leinster or an All-Ireland in us' - Dublin forward Dónal Burke

Sport can have a cruel sense of humour.

Five times county football champions, Na Fianna only reached their first Dublin hurling final in 2021. Extra-time heartbreak against Kilmacud Crokes ensued and the same opponents beat them again in the finale last year, a week after they had done the same to their footballers.

Dónal Burke was the Glasnevin club's captain and top scorer in both the '21 (2-07, 6fs) and ’22 (0-11, 6fs) deciders.

But when Na Fianna made it third time lucky in October - hammering Ballyboden to join the Dublin roll of honour - their talisman was on the sideline handing out the water bottles, courtesy of a serious hamstring tear sustained in June’s All-Ireland SHC quarter-final loss to Clare.

"If you had told me at the start of the year that we would win it but I wouldn’t play, I would have taken that," the sharpshooter tells RTÉ Sport. "It’s not as if I’m not part of the team anymore. I still go to all the trainings and stuff.

"I’m the Maor Uisce these days. It’s a lot more nerve-racking than playing to be honest! It’s grand, anything to try and stay involved. A lot of other people stood up. We had a few lads who were playing their first year on the team, like John Tierney and Ciaran Stacey, they had serious campaigns for us.

"It was more victory for the club than us. Just so great to get over the line. We had a special few days then after. My older brother [Seán] is playing for that team 14 years so it was great for him and a few other lads, it was a long road for them."

Younger brother Kevin was the other corner-back.

"A lot of us would've grown up together on that team. We have a very good bond. The half an hour after the game was probably the best, everybody coming up, all the parents and your mentors that