Shamrock Rovers striker Graham Burke publicly apologises to fans for misconduct
Credit: Peter Fitzpatrick (ETPhotos)
Shamrock Rovers striker Graham Burke has issued a public apology to fans following his sending-off in the Dublin derby against St Patrick's Athletic two weeks ago.
Burke kicked out at former Hoop Pat Cregg in full view of his manager Stephen Bradley and referee Robert Hennessy as the home side were held to a 1-1 draw in Tallaght.
The Dubliner opened the scoring with his fifth goal of the season midway through the first half but Pats levelled through Christy Fagan after the break.
And the game was still very much there for the taking when Burke was shown a straight red – rather than a second booking – 12 minutes from time and the Hoops finished the game on the back foot.
Former Aston Villa and Notts County striker Burke has been hit with a three-game ban by the league, his second such ban of the season after being sent off for kicking Dundalk's Jamie McGrath on his debut.
Following the latest dismissal, Rovers boss Stephen Bradley said: “Graham is a big player for us. That's not acceptable. What he did there tonight is not good enough. You can't lash out like that.
“If he goes in for a tackle and the ref sees it as a sending off, that's football, but that there is not acceptable.”
Speaking through the club as they previewed Friday night's meeting with Finn Harps in Ballybofey, Burke addressed the fans.
“I apologise for my actions in the last game,” he said.
“After scoring the opening goal of the game what happened after that was a stupid thing to do. It was a tight game, a Dublin derby, and I just became frustrated.
“I know that I let everyone down; my teammates, the management and the fans and I can only apologise. Frustration got the better of me and I know that I have do deal with that. It was a stupid thing to do.
“All that I can do now is to get my head down, work hard to get back into the team and do my best for the club and push on to end the season and finish as best that we can."
Rovers sit fifth in the Premier Division table, one point behind fourth-place Bray Wanderers, both of whom have played one game more than the other teams in the league.
