CLARETS reporter Tyrone Marshall discusses the talking points from Burnley's pre-season training camp in Cork.

GETTING UP TO SPEED

Pre-season comes at Burnley a bit quicker this summer as a result of their European campaign beginning on Thursday, July 26, with the Aberdeen clash at Pittodrie.

While the training schedules remain relatively untouched, the games programme is being condensed as Sean Dyche looks to get his players ready for 90 minutes in Scotland, at what is likely to be a high tempo.

The first pre-season friendly of the summer is almost always a 45 minute run out, a chance to get the legs working again and get used to a match environment.

But while in previous pre-seasons it’s been a gradual process, going from 45 minutes up to an hour and then slowly getting closer to a full game, the Clarets will be going straight into 90 minutes this week, with a double game on Tuesday.

That is followed by a double game on Friday and then the friendly with Preston just three days before the Europa League tie.

It’s unlikely many of the starters at Pittodrie will be starting at Deepdale, giving them two chances to get fully up to speed before the Europa League journey begins.

BRADY AND DEFOUR

Two players unlikely to feature in the early stages of the Europa League campaign are returning long-term injury victims Steven Defour and Robbie Brady.

Their return will restore plenty of creativity to the Clarets ranks but Dyche is playing it safe with them at the moment.

Brady only returned to full training in Cork, although the Burnley boss was delighted with how he came through a tough schedule. He may feature in the friendlies this week, but is unlikely to be getting 90 minutes just yet.

Defour has been back in training for longer but suffered a setback in picking up a minor calf injury that kept him out of the Cork City game, which will delay his chances of getting match fit in time for Aberdeen.

YOUNGSTERS

The week in Cork was another chance for a crop of Clarets youngsters to impress.

Goalkeeper Conor Mitchell spent the week training with Billy Mercer’s group, while Jimmy Dunne, Aiden O’Neill, Dwight McNeil and Dan Agyei were all with the team as well.

O’Neill showed his remarkable levels of fitness by coming through 90 minutes at Turner’s Cross and impressing at right-back in the second half.

McNeil looked lively on the wing in the first half, while Dunne capped the week off with the winning goal and is likely to get further chances in pre-season, with Burnley still only carrying three senior centre backs.

The week is always a chance for the youngsters to learn off the senior players and they should all return better for it, even if first team chances may be limited this term.