Shamrock Rovers striker Graham Burke has opened up about his injury nightmare this season.
The Ireland international has missed a huge chunk of this campaign with a series of calf problems, but made a rare start last Thursday night against Shelbourne.
With games rapidly running out in the title race and in Europe, Burke is determined to feature as often as he can in the Hoops’ domestic and continental assault.
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And he hopes to play a part in a win tonight against UCD, with Derry City, having played an extra game, just two points adrift of Rovers.
“I’m trying to get myself up to speed. I haven’t really trained much because of the games that are coming so thick and fast,” said Burke.
“So I’m just basically moving up my minutes through the games rather than training, we’ve only really been training the day before games.
“So it was good to get 70 or 75 minutes there (against Shels).
“I relish the games ahead, I’m looking forward to it.
“I’ve missed a lot of this season, it’s been disappointing, I don’t know how many games I’ve featured in but, to me, it doesn’t feel like many as I was coming back from injury.
“But listen, that’s the cards I’ve been dealt, I’ve worked hard to get back from a calf injury.”
While not at full fitness, Burke believes he has what it takes to contribute to Rovers’ run-in.
“It wouldn’t be where the lads would be,” he said. “I obviously look after myself off the pitch, I have a good base of fitness behind me, being a football player for so many years.
“I’m never really going to get out of shape and miles off fitness but you have to get a bit of fitness in me. I don’t feel miles off it.
“I’ll get stronger and fitter, but I obviously back my football ability, my touch, my awareness of what is around me.”
Burke says he isn’t worried about Derry’s recent run of form, including an FAI Cup quarter-final win over the Hoops.
“I think we just have to focus on ourselves and what we do,” he said.
“We went in (against Shelbourne) to win it and obviously we got a point and we’ll take it and move on and focus on Monday.
“There are only seven league games left, we take them one at a time, that’s the way we look at it.”
He added: “That’s the aim, win the league, it has to be the aim of this football club every year, and we’re in a great position now.
“The games are running down and we have to keep putting points on the board so we’ll roll into Monday and we’ll focus on that and get the bodies ready for that.”
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