Paddy Bradley

] , due to his ability to get out in from of his marker for the ball and his accuracy in front of the posts. He has consistently been a high scorer for Derry, with a career high of 2-38 (44) during the 2004 All-Ireland Championship. He is joint free-taker for both Derry and Glenullin.

Football career

Inter-county

Bradley made his Derry debut in late 1999. [cite news |first= Paddy|last= Heaney|authorlink= |coauthors= |title= Emerging sides have all to prove in Ulster|url= |work= The Irish News|publisher= |date= 2008-03-29|accessdate=2008-03-29] In his inaugural season he won the 2000 National League with Derry, defeating Meath in the final. He made his Ulster Championship debut later that year against Cavan. Derry reached that year's Ulster final, but lost to Armagh.

Bradley has been nominated for five All-Stars (2001, [cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/2001/1101/allstars.html |title=Tohill left out of All Star nominations |work=RTÉ |accessdate=2008-03-24] 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007), but was overlooked for the actual award on his first four nominations. His omission from the 2004 and 2005 awards in particular have been to the shock and bemusement of many fans and media personnel the whole country over.fact|date=April 2008 He was also nominated for the full forward spot on the inaugural GPA Gaelic Team of the Year in 2006, [cite news |first=Kenny |last=Archer |title=Armagh lead the way for Ulster nominees |url= |work=The Irish News |publisher= |date=2006-10-04 |accessdate=2008-06-05 ] but lost out to Kieran Donaghy of Kerry.

In 2004 Bradley and Enda Muldoon formed a clinical scoring partnership [cite news |first= Jackie|last= Cahill|authorlink= |coauthors= |title= Kingdom must stop Bradley & Muldoon if they are to repel resurgent Derry|url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-121366897.html|work= Daily Mirror|publisher= |date= 2008-08-28|accessdate=2008-03-27] on route to the All-Ireland semi-final, where they eventually lost to Kerry. Bradley contributed 2-38 (44) of Derry's total of 7-92 (113) in the 2004 All-Ireland Championship. Bradley had another great season in 2005, for example scoring 1-10 in a man of the match [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/4611989.stm |title=Bradley seeks Derry improvement |accessdate=2008-05-22 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date=2005-06-05 |work=BBC Online |publisher=] performance against Monaghan. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/4602213.stm |title=Bradley show sinks Farney County |accessdate=2008-05-22 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date=2005-06-05 |work=BBC Online |publisher=] In addition to his All Star nomination in 2006, he also was nominated for a GPA All Star.

In January 2007 Bradley claimed the MVP award in the All Star match between the 2006 and 2005 All Stars. [cite news |first=Eamonn |last=O'Hara |title=Paddy shines bright under the desert sun |url=http://www.irishnews.com/searchlog.asp?reason=denied_empty&script_name=/pageacc.asp&path_info=/pageacc.asp&tser1=ser&par=ben&sid=547444 |work=The Irish News |publisher= |date=2007-01-29 |accessdate=2008-06-13 ] In 2007 Bradley was banned for 12 weeks after an alleged altercation with a referee in a club game. The suspension was eventually lifted though, after an appeal to the Disputes Resolution Authority. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Bradley freed for club and country |url=http://www.derryjournal.com/3422/Bradley-freed-for-club-and.2922504.jp |work= Derry Journal |publisher= |date=2008-07-01 |accessdate=2008-04-05 ] On 19th October 2007 Bradley finally received an All Star award at full forward for his great performances during the season which ended with five points from play against Dublin. He also collected a GPA All Star in 2007, and his fifth Irish News Ulster All Star award in 2007, his fourth in a row. Bradley is currently the captain of Glenullin.fact|date=April 2008 He is the brother of fellow Derry footballer Eoin Bradley, and cousin of Derry county player Gerard O'Kane.fact|date=April 2008

He was instrumental in Derry winning the 2008 National League, defeating Kerry in the final. [cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2008/0427/derrykerry.html |title=Derry 2-13 Kerry 2-09 2008 National League Final report |accessdate=2008-04-27 |format= |work=RTÉ ] [cite web |url=http://www.derrygaa.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=630&Itemid=56 |title=Derry 2-13 Kerry 2-09 2008 National League Final report - Derry GAA website |accessdate=2008-04-27 |format= |work=Derry GAA website ] The league success saw Derry become favourites to win the Ulster Championship [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7515632.stm |title=Monaghan 1-13 1-12 Derry - Match report (BBC) |accessdate=2008-10-07 |work= |publisher= |date= ] and one of the top few for the All-Ireland. However, despite a good opening Ulster Championship performance against Donegal, [cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2008/0601/donegal_derry2.html?gaa |title=Donegal 1-12 Derry 1-14 - Match report |accessdate=2008-09-02 |work=RTÉ Online |publisher= |date=2008-06-01 ] (where Bradley scored an incredible 10 points in a man of the match display [cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2008/0601/donegal_derry2.html?gaa |title=Donegal 1-12 Derry 1-14 Ulster Senior Football Championship quarter-final report |accessdate=2008-06-02 |work=RTÉ.ie |date=2008-06-01 ] ), Derry exited the Ulster Championship against Fermanagh at the semi-final stage [cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2008/0621/fermanagh_derry.html |title=Fermanagh 1-11 Derry 1-09 - Match report |accessdate=2008-09-02 |work=RTÉ Online |publisher= |date=2008-06-21 ] and were defeated by Monaghan in the first round of the Qualifiers. [cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2008/0719/monaghan_derry.html |title=Monaghan 1-13 Derry 1-12 - Match report (RTÉ) |accessdate=2008-09-02 |work=RTÉ Online |publisher= |date=2008-07-19 ] He once again received an nomination for a GPA All Star. [cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/2008/1008/opelawards.html?gaa |title=Opel Gaelic Players' Awards announced |accessdate=2008-10-09 |work=RTÉ Online |publisher= |date=2008-10-08 ]

coring

Bradley is one of the most prolific scorers in Ireland with both left and right feet, and from both open play and frees. [cite news |first=Pete |last=McGrath |authorlink= |title=Time for the target men |url=http://www.nwipp-newspapers.com/GL/free/291645740516713.php |work=Gaelic Life |publisher= |date=2008-05-09 |accessdate=2008-06-08 ] In the 2001 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship he finished as Ireland's tenth top scorer (and joint top in Ulster) with a total of 2-17 (23). In the 2004 Championship, he was third top scorer in the country with a total of 2-38 (44), once again more than any other Ulster player. He was second top scorer in the 2005 Championship, where he amassed a total of 2-29 (35), despite having played almost half the amount of games as top scorer Stephen O'Neill. He also achieved the highest individual tally of any player that season, with 1-10 against Monaghan. Despite Derry's lack of progress in the 2006 All-Ireland Bradley again finished the season as top scorer in Ulster with a total of 2-20 (26), only bettered by five players in all of Ireland, most of whom played more games. Derry were surprisingly beaten by Longford in the third round of the Qualifiers in 2006, despite and incredible game from Bradley were he scored 2-07. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/5184000.stm |title=Longford 1-16 2-12 Derry - Match report |accessdate=2008-04-13 |format= |work=BBC ] In the 2007 championship Bradley finished the season with 1-25 (28)

coring details

Club career

Bradley plays club football for John Mitchel's GAC Glenullin. After suffering disappointment at the semi-final stage on a few occasions, Bradley finally won a Derry Senior Football Championship with Glenullin in 2007. His ten points (six from play) against reigning champions Ballinderry in the semi-final was instrumental in Glenullin reaching the final and he scored the winning point in the final replay against Bellaghy. He also won the Ulster Senior Club Football League with the club in 2007. Glenullin were defeated in the following year's final by fellow Derry club Ballinderry. In 2008 the club also reached the final of the All-Ireland Sevens Championship, organised by Kilmacud Crokes.

Bradley has also represented Chicago Wolfe Tones GFC in Chicago, [cite web |url=http://chicagowolfetones.com/ |title=Homepage |accessdate=2008-05-28 |author= |date= |work=Chicago Wolfe Tones GFC official website |publisher=] for example in 2003 when after a replay [cite web |url=http://www.nagaa.org/news/showArticle.php?article=37 |title=NACB PRO Report Aug 22nd, 2003 |accessdate=2008-05-28 |author= |date=2003-08-22 |work=North American County Board official website |publisher=] Wolfe Tones won the Chicago Senior Football Championship. [citeweb |url=http://www.hoganstand.com/monaghan/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=67037 |title=Chicago’s Wolfe mone |accessdate=2008-05-28 |author= |date=2003-12-10 |work=Hogan Stand magazine |publisher=Lynn Publications ] [citeweb |url=http://www.hoganstand.com/louth/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=67689 |title=One for the future |accessdate=2008-05-28 |author= |date=2004-11-20 |work=Hogan Stand magazine |publisher=Lynn Publications ]

International

Bradley was surprisingly omitted from the Ireland squad for the 2005 International Rules Series, despite scoring 24 points in a trial game and the Derry County Board forwarded an official letter of protest to GAA headquarters in Croke Park. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Bradley takes stock |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/imported/article975355.ece |work=The Belfast Telegraph |publisher= |date=2005-10-08 |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] He was also in contention for a place in the 2006 team, [cite web |url=http://internationalrules.gaa.ie/pressrelease2.html |title=Coca Cola International Rules - Press Release 2 |accessdate=2008-10-11 |work=GAA International Rules website (2006) |publisher= |date=2006-10-11 ] but did not make the final 25 man panel due to injury/fitness concerns. [cite web |url=http://www.donalmurtaghcars.com/Milltown/ViewNewsItem.aspx?NewsID=39 |title=Boylan explains omissions |accessdate=2008-10-11 |work=Milltown GAA website |publisher= |date=2006-10-24 ] The 2007 series was cancelled, Bradley was however selected for for the 2008 Series in Australia. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7657189.stm |title=Ireland squad has nine Ulstermen |accessdate=2008-10-09 |work=BBC Sport Online |publisher= |date=2008-10-07 ]

College career

Bradley was part of the 2001 UUJ team that won the Sigerson Cup. He was top scorer in the final with 0-05 [cite web |url= http://www.sigerson2007.com/roll.htm|title= Sigerson Cup Roll of Honour - Top Scorers|accessdate=2008-01-08 |format= |work= ] .

Honours

County

*National Football League - Winner (2): 2000, 2008
*Ulster Senior Football Championship - Runner up: 2000
*Dr. McKenna Cup - Runner up: 2008

Club

Glenullin

*All-Ireland Kilmacud Crokes Sevens Championship - Runner up: 2008
*Ulster Senior Club Football League - Winner (1): 2007
*Ulster Senior Club Football League - Runner-up: 2008
*Derry Senior Football Championship - Winner (1): 2007
*Underage awards

Chicago Wolfe Tones

*Chicago Senior Football Championship - Winner (1): 2003, more?

College

*Sigerson Cup - Winner (1): 2000/2001?
*Ryan Cup - Winner (2): years?

Province

*Railway Cup - Winner (2): 2004, 2007, more?

Individual

*All Star - Winner (1): 2007
*All Star - Nominated (runner up): 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006
*GPA All Star - Winner (1): 2007
*GPA All Star - Nominated (runner-up): 2006
*Irish News Ulster GAA All-Star - Winner (5): 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
*Derry Senior football captain: 2005

Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.glenullin.com/Index.htm John Mitchel's CGL Glenullin]
* [http://derrygaa.ie/ Official Derry GAA Website]
* [http://www.cul4kidz.com/culstarsfball_bradley.htm Cul4kidz interview]