Bradley refusing to commit to return

DERRY ace Paddy Bradley says he won’t be automatically making a return to inter-county football in the wake of Damien Cassidy’s decision to step down as the Oak Leafers’ team boss.

It’s widely believed that Bradley experienced a somewhat fractious relationship with Cassidy during his two-year term at the Derry helm.

And matters came to a head when Bradley quit the Derry panel after being dropped for the All-Ireland Qualifiers first-round clash with Carlow, at Dr Cullen Park, on June 26.

The 2007 All Star didn’t travel with the Derry party for the victory over the Barrowsiders, and subsequently missed the second-round win over Westmeath, at Cusack Park, and the third round defeat by Kildare, at Celtic Park.

In the aftermath of the 11-point loss to the Lilywhites, Cassidy decided not to offer his services for a third year in the Derry post.

But Bradley, whose younger brother Eoin continued to play with Derry in the qualifiers campaign, says the departure of Cassidy does not necessarily mean that he will make a return to the inter-county arena in next year’s league campaign.

“It’s something I haven’t given any thought to yet,” remarked Bradley. “At the moment, I’m just focusing on club football.

“We’re in the quarter-finals of the county championship, and all my mental and physical focus is directed on that.’’

A factor which would almost certainly have resulted in Bradley returning to the inter-county fray next February failed to materialise when the player’s father, Liam, decided over the weekend to remain in the Antrim hot seat for another 12 months.

After the Glensmen’s hammering by Kildare (1-15 to 0-9) in the qualifier second-round replay, at Casement Park, and Cassidy’s departure from Derry, it seemed that the Oak Leaf managerial role was tailor-made for Liam Bradley.

But Liam subsequently disclosed that he had decided to serve for a third year at the Antrim helm.

Asked if his father’s decision to continue with the Saffrons had weakened his enthusiasm to return to the Derry set-up, Paddy Bradley said: “I didn’t know anything about that.”

But his brother Eoin is hopeful that his sibling will wear the Derry colours once again. Following the Carlow game, Eoin revealed that Paddy, who is still only 29, had sent him a text congratulating him on the win. “Paddy’s heart is still very much in Derry football,” he remarked.