It's been a bittersweet time for Dublin’s Donal Burke.
When the forward tore his hamstring in the championship defeat to Clare back in June, little did he realise that he would miss out on so much with Na Fianna.
Burke has developed into one of Dublin’s key forwards since making the breakthrough in 2017, but at club level it has been a case of near misses.
Kilmacud Crokes got the better of them in both the 2021 (after extra-time) and 2022 Dublin deciders, before they finally secured a maiden county title last month, brothers Sean and Colin Currie combining in devastating fashion to sweep aside Ballyboden in the decider.
January had always been pencilled in as a likely return date, with Burke filling the void by acting as waterboy for the Mobhi Road side.
He’s back running, but still "weeks" away from a return to the pitch.
"It was just a bit of a freak injury," he tells RTÉ Sport.
"It's a power thing…the leg just kind of straightens up in a position that's not natural. With the pressure then, it just gives way.
"I'm just trying to get back on the other side of it."
The added time off has been to the gain of the club’s Under-15 hurlers, whom Burke mentors, but as Na Fianna move into uncharted waters, he can only watch on.
Having seen off Naas in the semi-final, they will face an O’Loughlin Gaels side buoyed by dumping holders Ballyhale Shamrocks out in the Kilkenny decider.
The club make the short journey to Croke Park for Saturday’s encounter, a surface that is more familiar to Burke than perhaps a number of others on the team.
"Definitely the surface will be a lot better than what we've been playing on the last six weeks."
Over the debate over whether the Dublin hurlers should play at Parnell Park or Croke Park, Burke is non-committal – "I think any player wants to play as many times as you can in Croke Park, so we weren't really complaining about that" – but is aware that a first trip to GAA headquarters for the club’s hurlers in championship fare is an occasion to savour.
Of course he’d prefer to be in the thick of it on Saturday, but an enforced absence doesn’t dilute the desire to win.
"Jesus, yeah, I don't think you'd have any complaints now if they got a victory on Saturday."
Watch the Leinster club football final, Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) v Naas (Kildare), on Saturday from 2pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player and listen to updates on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
