Bradley: time for Oak Leafers to bloom

JUST like Derry in general, Eoin Bradley has promised more than he has delivered in the last five years but the Glenullin forward recognises that the time has come for both player and county to deliver.

Now 25, Bradley has played 44 times for his county but his career has been hampered by an injury that cost him 12 months and a rift with former manager Paddy Crozier that saw him miss another six in 2007.

His best year with the county was back in 2006 but his attacking displays in this year’s Division One league campaign were suggestive of a player on the verge of something special.

Bradley was superb against Kerry until an unwarranted yellow card left him on the sideline and he followed that up with a tour de force that included six points against Dublin in Parnell Park a week later.

That was the highest tally he had ever managed for Derry and the performance was indicative of a player finally emerging from the shadow of older brother Paddy who once hit 3-9 two games in a row for the county.

Coincidence or not, his emergence as a leader came at a time when his more celebrated brother’s influence was curtailed by a trip to Australia and a litany of minor injuries.

The younger sibling’s elevation within the squad was confirmed when Damien Cassidy handed him the armband for the last league game against Donegal but he knows his and Derry’s impressive league form only raises the stakes.

Monaghan await in Celtic Park on Sunday in the Ulster Championship. The same Monaghan side that evicted them from the province two years ago. The same Monaghan side that kicked them out of the qualifiers last year.

The hat-trick would be unbearable. It is 11 years since Derry last claimed the Ulster title, nine since they enjoyed the pageantry of the final and Bradley knows he is one of those from whom more is now expected.

“I definitely think there is,” Bradley admitted. “That is probably down to working hard in the gym over the winter whenever Patrick and the other (Glenullin) club men were away on holidays. It seemed to pay off during the league but if I go out and have a bad game against Monaghan people will be saying ‘that man can’t hack the pressure’.”

Whatever his contribution on Sunday, there is no doubt but that Bradley is a different player from the one that had a penchant to juggle spectacular points with spectacular wides.

Cassidy has calmed him down, tempered that streak that made him shoot for glory no matter what the angle or distance and the player accepts it has had its benefits.

“Damien has brought that into my play. He’s pointed out to me that many a time before I’d have taken a rash shot. He’s said, ‘look, steady up, if there’s a man coming off your shoulder give it and maybe just take that extra second’.

“He’s definitely helped me in that side of my game. He’s definitely shown a lot of confidence in me. In previous years I was in and out of the team but this year Damien has shown faith in me.”

One part of his game Bradley will hope to carry over from last summer is his ability to sniff out a goal. He scored one in all three of Derry’s games in last year’s championship.

The effort against Fermanagh, which involved a 50-yard run through the defence, was noteworthy and brought to mind the 70-yard equivalent he scored against Down in July of 2005. Great memories but he doesn’t see himself being afforded the opportunity to get into his stride in such a spectacular fashion against Seamus McEneaney’s much vaunted Monaghan defence at the weekend.

“I don’t think I’ll be running 70 yards against them, especially the way they defend although Damien’s not telling me to lay the ball off, he’s just pointing out a few things in my game, telling me to bring a few people into the game it a bit more. “

Derry v Monaghan: B Gillis; K McGuckin, K McCloy, G O Kane; P Cartin, B McGoldrick, S L McGoldrick; F Doherty, J Diver; B McGuigan, P Murphy, E Lynn; E Bradley, P Bradley, JKielt