Derry Under 21 team he won the Ulster Under 21 Championship in 1993, beating Down in the decider. By that stage he was already part of the Derry Senior team, having made his debut in 1991. Burns got a groin injury against Down in 1991 and it meant he missed a lot of football that year and the next. The injury was somewhat of a mystery and nobody could diagnose it. Derry exited the 1991 Ulster Senior Football Championship to Down after a replay, who went on to win that year's All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. Burns was on the bench when Derry beat Tyrone in the 1992 National League final. They reached the Ulster Championship final later that year, but lost out to Donegal. Injury meant he only played a few minutes in that year's Championship - against Monaghan. The injury was finally diagnosed in March 1993 as a small hernia and an operation meant he was fit for the Championship campaign. In 1993 Derry won the Ulster Championship, beating Donegal in the decider. Derry defeated Dublin in a classic All-Ireland semi-final, before beating Cork in the All-Ireland final, in which Burns made a substitute appearance. The success was Derry's first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title. Derry were knocked out the following year by Down in the first round of the Ulster Championship. The game is regarded as one of the best matches of all time. In 1995 Burns and Derry defeated Donegal in the National League final. They defended the title the following year, with victory over the same opposition in the decider. Tyrone knocked Derry out of the Championship in both 1995 and 1996. Derry reached the Ulster final in 1997 but were beaten by Cavan. In 1998 Derry again competed in the National League final, but were beaten by Offaly. Later that year though, Derry beat Donegal in the Ulster Championship final. They met Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final, but were defeated. The following year Armagh knocked Derry out of the Championship. Burns won a fourth National League medal in 2000, with Derry beating Meath in the final. Derry reached that year's Ulster final, but were beaten by Armagh. Derry lost at the semi-final stage of the 2001 Ulster Championship, but nonetheless reached the All-Ireland semi-final through the Qualifiers (which had been introduced that year), where they once again faced Galway. Derry again lost to Galway. Burns