From Croker to Maribor and back, Glenullin veteran Bradley ready to deliver

Gaelic football and soccer have intertwined and overlapped for most of Bradley’s sporting existence.

Thu, 08 Jan, 2026 - 08:10

Eoghan Cormican

Around the continent and back to Croke Park.

42-year-old Eoin Bradley has seen the sights and football stadiums of Europe since his last spin down the road to line out in Croke Park 13 years ago.

Maribor was special, but he’d take Croker with his own every day of the week.

What was Maribor?

“In the time of Covid, I was playing with Coleraine, and we beat Maribor, in Maribor, on penalties,” begins the inside Glenullin intermediate forward, who was also one of the successful penalty-takers that famous Europa League night in Slovenia in 2020.

“The year before that, Maribor beat Celtic in the Champions League, and we beat them the following year. They were saying to themselves, these boys don’t look like soccer players. It was surreal and definitely one of the best moments.

“I played in Europe seven or eight years in-a-row, won two Irish Cups. It's mad. Just great experiences.

“Gaelic is your first love, but I wouldn't change a thing what I've done. I'd say I was very lucky, I played for Derry, but I never got to play in an Ulster final with Derry, I done my cruciate the week before we played Donegal [in 2011].”

Gaelic football and soccer have intertwined and overlapped for most of Bradley’s sporting existence.

As he returns to Croke Park this Sunday for the intermediate club decider against An Ghaeltacht, he remembers one particular inter-county visit where he double-jobbed the same day.

“I played for Glenavon on the Saturday at 3pm and we were playing at 7pm that night in Croke Park. I drove down in the van after the match and played the second half.

“And then against Dublin in 2007 (All-Ireland quarter-final), I came on at half-time and I missed two sitters, people keep onto me about it to this day.

“I won a National League in Croker and was beaten in a National League final as well. But at the end of the day, for me to be playing club football, to be running out in a Glenullin jersey at Croke Park is great personally.”

He’s still at the double-jobbing. As well as Glenullin, he’s player-manager with local side Kilrea. Mind you, he’s gone too long in the tooth to be attempting two matches this weekend.

His run to this weekend he’s timed to absolute perfection.

After making one scoring cameo after another throughout last year, including 0-4 in the Derry decider and 1-3 in the Ulster showpiece, he started his first championship game of Glenullin’s 2025 campaign on January 3, 2026.

“At the start of the year, I didn’t know what I was going to do. I had a niggle, it is hard to explain, I just needed a bit of a break. Management were very understanding. They told me to take my time and that it was all about championship. Thank God it has all worked out.

“I wouldn't really be conscious of age. It's more about my body, the feeling I have in my body. My body will tell me whenever it's time to retire.

“Sunday wouldn't be a bad way to finish, if we could win on Sunday.”