Bradshaw keeps bouncing back
Gareth Bradshaw, Galway’s exciting wing-back, appears to be in the former category. The 23-year-old NUIG health and safety graduate was St. Mary’s college captain in the Hogan Cup final of 2005. It was not to be as Knockbeg College with Donie Brennan in the vanguard won the title. It hurt. And still does.
“I played senior for St. Mary’s for three years under Liam Sammon and we were frustrated not to have won an All-Ireland. Losing that final was immensely disappointing.”
An equally bitter pill followed when he was red carded for his club Moycullen, in an All-Ireland IFC semi-final against Annascaul in the Gaelic Grounds two years ago. He shifts uncomfortably when reminded of the incident.
“I still think that was very harsh. I appealed the decision twice but it did me no good and I missed the final. But I learnt a lot from that experience.”
The story of how he got that red card has become the stuff of local myth but there is some truth in it.
“After a hard challenge, the referee called me over and asked me for my name. I gave it to him in Irish and he said: ‘Will you make things simple. Give me it in English”. I told him I was from a Gaeltacht club and that’s my name.
“I don’t think he liked that answer … and I feel that was the catalyst for him to take out the red card.
“He said it was for a frontal charge, but there was no way it merited a red.”
He added: “My father, Toby was a selector on that team and my brother Sean was full-back, so to miss the final in Croke Park was heartbreaking. You don’t get to play in All-Ireland finals with your brother or club too often, so it was a massive blow. Thank God we won, because if the club had lost you’d always wonder – what if...”
That lesson two years ago has changed him.
“Good discipline is essential at inter-county level. That red card and how much it cost me and could have cost the club has helped me to focus much more on the job in hand and keeping my composure. My discipline has improved considerably. Plus there is a big difference in the standard of refereeing at club level compared to inter-county level.
“And you don’t have time to be giving out to refs at county level because you are so busy trying to stay switched on for the job in hand. You are trying to win your own battle with a top quality opposition player and you don’t, or at least you shouldn’t, have time to be having any conversations with referees.
“It has been a steep learning curve. I was a bit immature back then, but I’d like to think I just get on with things now and am playing better football as a result.”
And people are taking notice. Bradshaw was described by Joe Kernan as one of the best footballers in the country last March after two tremendous defensive displays against Monaghan and Dublin.
How did that statement make him feel? “When you hear that from someone like Joe Kernan it boosts your confidence. But you have to be realistic. He made that judgement based on league form and the days you want to play at your top level is in the summer.
“You have to work at things. My concentration has improved over the past year or two and that has helped. You have to prepare yourself to the best of your ability and be prepared for any given outcome so when they happen during a game you are ready for it. A lot of players would practice visualisation techniques now and every player and team is trying to develop and make themselves the best that they can be.”
Bradshaw is giving his all to the cause and putting in the hours to improve his physique and fitness. But such is the way of the intercounty world.
“I like to do my own gym work during the week, two or three extra sessions during the winter and spring. You try give yourself an edge and work on your core to try and prevent injuries. All the top teams have players that are going the extra yard and we have to do that too if we are going to compete.
“We have a very professional set-up this year, with Joe, John (McCluskey) and Paul (Hatton) all involved, but you have to put in the hours by yourself too if you are going to compete with the top players in the country”.
Bradshaw is in his fourth year on the senior squad in Galway, so what are his ambitions over the next few seasons?
“I want be the best player that I can be myself, to achieve my potential. In doing that, you hope that Galway can get to compete in and maybe win an All-Ireland. We were brought up top Croke Park as young lads going to the finals of 1998, 2000 and 2001 and we want to emulate those players. For that to happen we need 30 players and a management team all buying into that and doing their absolute best to make it happen. You have to get it right on the day and we have to start doing that beginning tomorrow against Sligo. Galway have let themselves down with some of their performances in the past. I believe we have been underachieving. We need to take it one day at a time and try to get back to Croke Park and prove we can win there. That is our aim, but we are not looking past Sligo. They beat us in the Connacht final in 2007 and they won’t have any fear coming to Pearse Stadium.”
Bradshaw was a raw teenager sitting on the bench for that 2007 defeat.
“It was not a good day. Sligo had the hunger and they were more eager. That’s the way it panned out and they won. They deserved to. We have to make sure that does not happen tomorrow. Kevin (Walsh) is getting the most out of them and after being promoted the last two years in a row as division three and four champions and beating Mayo well they will have plenty of self-belief. They are coming expecting to win and we will have to meet them head on.
“Not having Micheal (Meehan) and Nicky (Joyce) starting does not help our cause, but we all need to lift our performances to compensate for their absence. The winners tomorrow will feel that they can go on and win a Connacht title and get a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final through the direct route. We need to deliver a performance to win the game tomorrow. A lot of people don’t think we are capable of doing so, and it is not a case of proving them wrong, it is a case of getting the result that we need.”
