Kevin Burke hails strong Na Fianna foundations in glory hunt

Last week the Friends of Dublin Hurling welcomed Tom Ryan of Na Fianna into their Hall of Fame.

Hurling-mad Tom has given a lifetime of service to his club, and is a friendly face at Croke Park every weekend during the summer where he helps as a matchday steward.

Over the past few decades people like Tom Ryan have built a culture of hurling at Na Fianna.

The development work paid huge dividends between 2014 and 2018 when they won three Under-21 hurling championship titles in a row - 2016, 2017 and 2018 - and four minor championships between 2014 and 2017.

Current senior team defender Kevin Burke says he is very much aware, thankful for, and proud of the work that has gone into nurturing Na Fianna as a hurling force.

"On our day, if we play to the best of our ability, we feel we can compete with anyone and that's down to all the work that has gone beforehand," Burke says.

And as the club looks forward to a second successive AIB Leinster Club senior hurling championship final, after enduring a slog against St Martin's last weekend, Burke believes that the side are learning to dog wins out.

"We have had the good, bad and ugly over the past few years," he smiles. "Two county title wins, two finals lost and losing the Leinster final last year.

"In one of the county final losses we were well ahead with time running out and lost. You learn from all of these things.

"But they are great days to be part of. Last year our club members marched from the clubhouse to Croke Park and it was powerful to see. They’ll do the same again. And it’s just testament to all the work that has gone on here."

"We have to get our own bodies right and try to play to the best of our ability."

St Martin’s had edged ahead last weekend with time running out. But Na