All-Ireland Club Hurling: St Thomas' Fintan Burke says clash with World Cup final 'doesn't matter'
Sunday afternoon will mean only one thing for the majority of sports fans throughout the world. For four hurling teams in Ireland, however, it will mean something very different.
At around lunchtime, a worldwide TV audience of potentially more than a billion people will be making final preparations to watch the World Cup final.
Whether it is making sure snacks are at hand by the sofa at home or heading out to a bar, supporters from across the globe will be watching on to see if Argentina captain Lionel Messi can crown his international career by leading his country to World Cup glory in Qatar.
Not so for everyone associated with St Thomas', Dunloy, Ballyhale Shamrocks and Ballygunner, the four clubs that will contest the All-Ireland club hurling finals at the GAA's Croke Park headquarters in Dublin. 
Connacht champions St Thomas' take on Ulster winners Dunloy at 13:30 GMT - 90 minutes before Messi and co kick-off in the Lusail Stadium - with the champions of Leinster and Munster, Shamrocks Ballyhale and Ballygunner, throwing in at 15:30.     
And, what about the prospect of going head-to-head for attention with an occasion that Fifa said was watched by a combined global audience of 1.12 billion in 2018?   
"It doesn't really matter to us because we are all hurling men," St Thomas' Fintan Burke said in a matter-of-fact fashion. 
"To be honest with you, it wouldn't really affect us. We don't care if there are only two people watching our game on telly. It doesn't affect us and we don't let it affect us."
It's worth noting that the GAA has previous for its own flagship events being scheduled at the same time as major sporting occasions.
In June 2002, for example, Derry and Donegal played out the first half of their Ulster semi-final at a largely-empty St Tiernach's Park in Clones while fans opted to watch the Republic of Ireland's World Cup last-16 defeat by Spain on penalties. 
GAA stuck with its original throw-in time, which meant supporters had a choice to make when the Republic-Spain game went to extra-time and a shootout. 
governing body had a different approach four years later when the K Club hosted the Ryder Cup, with the All-Ireland football final being moved from its original date to avoid competing with the biennial USA-Europe showdown.
St Thomas' lost to Ballyhale Shamrocks in last year's All-Ireland semi-final but have made it through to this stage again by winning their fifth consecutive Galway title, beating Loughrea in the final. 
ub are aiming for what would be a second All-Ireland title after claiming their first in 2013 and, while some members of the current panel were in that squad, Burke and the majority of his team-mates were not.
"For a lot of us, we don't have an All-Ireland medal," he continued.
"I think there are 25 of the whole panel who are without one and the older lads are not shy in letting us know that we don't have one, either. 
"It would be nice to just get one and to have one in your back pocket when you retire - it's not something that many people have."   
uccessful in their All-Ireland bid, St Thomas' will have to overcome a Dunloy team that won their first Ulster club title since 2009 with victory over holders Slaughtneil in a thrilling final.
Burke watched that match, which Dunloy won 2-12 to 0-16, and was full of praise for the quality of hurling teams in Ulster.
"Every year good teams come out of Ulster, you don't win it easily as there are a lot of good teams there," he said. 
"We have seen that through the years. Having played three or four of them we know the level that Dunloy are going to be at. 
"Having played Loughrea twice in the last few weeks, they are similar to them - quick, they run and are good, sharp-shooting hurlers. Hopefully that might stand us in good stead." 
Burke is one of four brothers in the St Thomas' panel and the family ties extend even further, with his older brother, Kenneth, the team's manager.
He was clear that there is no conflict of interest for any of the family and also added that, while hurling is hugely important to everyone in the squad, family and friends take priority.
"We are probably old enough now to realise he [Kenneth] has a horrible job at the best of times without us making it any more difficult for him," he commented.
"The respect is there, you leave the family at home. The respect is there on the hurling side, too, when you see what he has done and all that he has achieved for the club. It means you have enough respect to not question him, go against him or make his life difficult."
He added: "We have our values when it comes to hurling but it is only a sport. Family and friends are more important. 
"Hurling is great and we love it, it is what we live and die for, but I suppose we are all best friends, everyone on the panel. 
"We would do anything for each other and we would help each other out off the field as well as on it. To be honest, family comes first and it always will. Your health is your wealth and hurling only comes afterwards if you are able to do it."   