Denis Burns

Denis Gerard Burns (born 1952) is an Irish retired hurling manager and player who enjoyed a successful career as a right corner-back with the Cork senior team.

Born in Cork, Burns was introduced to hurling in his youth before later coming to prominence at underage levels with the St. Finbarr's club. An All-Ireland medal winner at senior level as captain, Burns also won three Munster medals and four championship medals.

Burns made his debut on the inter-county scene at the age of twenty when he first linked up with the Cork under-21 team. An All-Ireland medal winner in this grade, he later made his senior debut during the 1974-75 league. Burns went on to play a key role for Cork in defence during a hugely successful era, and won three All-Ireland medals, five Munster medals and one National Hurling League medal.

Throughout his inter-county career Burns made 26 championship appearances. He retired from inter-county hurling following the conclusion of the 1980 championship.

In retirement from playing Burns became involved in team management and coaching. He has served as manager of the Cork minor team on a number of occasions, guiding the team to All-Ireland success in 1998.

Playing career

Club

Burns played his club hurling with St. Finbarr's and enjoyed much success during a golden age for the club.^[1]

In 1974 Burns was a key member of the starting fifteen as St. Finbarr's returned to the top table of Cork hurling once again. In spite of being regarded as underdogs in the championship decider against Blackrock, Con Roche gave a masterful display in helping "the Barr's" to a 2-17 to 2-14 victory. It was Burns's first championship medal. Newmarket-on-Fergus were the opponents in the subsequent provincial decider. A low-scoring 0-7 to 0-3 victory gave Burns his first Munster medal, however, the game was tinged with sadness for St. Finbarr's as an horrific shin-bone injury brought Bernie Scully's career to an end. Burns was off the starting fifteen for the club's subsequent All-Ireland triumph.

In 1977 a 1-17 to 1-5 trouncing of north side rivals gave Burns his second championship medal. A comfortable 2-8 to 0-6 defeat of Sixmilebridge in a replay after a nerve-wracking draw, saw him win his second Munster medal. He later lined out in the All-Ireland final with Rathnure, the Wexford and Leinster champions, providing the opposition. The first-half was a disaster for St. Finbarr’s as a gale-force wind resulted in the Cork side trailing by 0-8 to 0-1. The second thirty minutes saw "the Barr’s" take control with Jimmy Barry-Murphy scoring the deciding goal. A 2-7 to 0-9 victory gave Burn a coveted All-Ireland medal while he also had the honour of captaining the team.

1980 saw Burns add a third championship medal to his collection as Glen Rovers were accounted for on a 1-9 to 2-4 score line. He later picked up a third Munster medal as Roscrea fell narrowly by 2-12 to 1-14. A record-equaling third All-Ireland medal proved beyond St. Finbarr's who were beaten by Ballyhale Shamrocks in the decider.

A ounty championship final defeat of Blackrock in 1982 brought Burns's championship medal tally to four. He retired from club hurling shortly after this victory.

Inter-county

Burns first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Cork under-21 team as an unused substitute in 1972.

The following year he made his under-21 debut in a Munster quarter-final defeat of Waterford. Burns later won a Munster medal following a 4-11 to 2-7 defeat of Limerick in the provincial decider. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Cork against Wexford. A 2-10 to 4-2 victory gave Burns an All-Ireland medal.

Burns joined the Cork senior hurling team in 1975 and was an unused substitute for Cork's Munster final triumph over Limerick. He made his debut as a substitute in Cork's subsequent All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Galway.

1976 saw Burns win his first Munster medal as Limerick were beaten by 3-15 to 4-5. He was an unused substitute for Cork's subsequent All-Ireland victory over Wexford.

After playing little part in the 1977 championship campaign, Burns was at right corner-back for the following year's provincial decider. A 0-13 to 0-11 defeat of Clare in a dour game gave Burns his second Munster medal on the field of play. He was dropped from the starting fifteen for the subsequent All-Ireland victory over Kilkenny.^[2][3]

Two years later in 1980 Burns won a National Hurling League medal following a 4-15 to 4-6 defeat of Limerick in a replay of the decider. He was an unused substitute for the subsequent championship and retired from inter-county hurling at the end of the season.

Post-playing career

In retirement from playing Burns remained involved in the game of hurling. He was the coach of the Cork minor hurling team in 1998 and guided the team to both Munster and All-Ireland honours in his first year in charge.

Honours

Team

St. Finbarr's

• All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship (1): 1978 (c)
• Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship (3): 1974, 1977 (c), 1980
• Cork Senior Club Hurling Championship (4): 1974, 1977 (c), 1980, 1982

Cork

• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (3): 1976 (sub), 1977 (sub), 1978 (sub)
• Munster Senior Hurling Championship (5): 1975 (sub), 1976, 1977 (sub), 1978, 1979 (sub)
• National Hurling League (1): 1979-80
• All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship (1): 1973
• Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship (1): 1973

References