Bradley Returns

Was he ever away...?

There's been more mystery and intrigue surrounding Derry footballing circles in the past day and a half than a compendium of Sherlock Holmes, Tom Ripley and Scooby-doo.

It was widely reported yesterday that Paddy Bradley had left the Derry senior panel (even this most reputable of blogs carried the story), and this was taken as read until Mark Sidebottom interviewed Bradley's father Liam on BBC Newsline yesterday evening. The "Baker" said that he expected Paddy to be "involved with Derry on Saturday evening" (against Monaghan), and suddenly nobody had a scooby-doo what to believe.

Next, the Derry County Board decided to throw their tuppence-worth into an ever-confusing mix by releasing a statement saying that they "wish to end unsubstantiated rumours escalating in the media that Paddy Bradley has left the Derry Senior football panel". And that "such rumours are totally unfounded and without substance."

All the papers are carried the story about Derry denying Bradley's departure in their Sports headlines today, with Paddy Heaney's column in the Irish News outlining what appears to be a realistic version of events.

Clearly Paddy Bradley signalled some sort of intention to the Derry management after training on Sunday past. There is no smoke without fire after all. He has changed his mind however, and it is now apparent that Bradley is back in the Derry squad. Welcome news for all Derry followers, and a relief no doubt to Damian Cassidy and the Oakleaf squad as a whole.

The Monaghan game is fast approaching, and whether Bradley is in 100% condition to start must be extremely doubtful at this stage, but at least it now appears he may be available to play some part.

Bradley Leaves Derry Panel

It's bad enough that we are going to have beat our lovely friends from Monaghan again, but this tough assignment in Clones has been made even more difficult following this morning's shock news that Paddy Bradley has left the Derry panel.

A truly astounding development that will have had Damian Cassidy feeling a little groggy today after what must have been a night of little sleep. The timing is a big enough problem, with just five days before the trip to Clones (at 3pm this Saturday), but losing Paddy Bradley - Derry's All-Star and 'marquee forward' (as the pundits might say) - is a huge blow to the Derry camp.

It is unclear at the moment what his motivation for leaving the panel is, but if he feels that he cannot continue for the remainder of the season, then the decision is entirely his, and that must be respected and accepted by the Derry squad and supporters.

The news will unquestionably affect Derry's preparation this week, and the management will have their work cut out trying to galvanise the squad, and ensure that the team that takes the field against the Farney-men can cope with the loss of one of its key players.

There have been more than enough problems for Derry in the past two months, and this seems to be the culmination of those. An already tough task against Monaghan (where Derry are looking to save their season) has just got a hell of a lot more difficult, but let's hope the Oakleafers can turn this unwanted situation into a positive one.

Fergal Doherty and Brian Mullan will be back from suspension, Patsy Bradley has recovered from injury, and in an ideal world there should be forwards training out of their skin in order to fill Bradley's vacated position. Monaghan will be without their own marquee man in Thomas Freeman... all is not lost.

Back to yesterday evening's draw...

And Senan Connell is holding a little yellow ball that just came out of Pot 2. My TV3 reception gets a little fuzzy at times; it wouldn't have the name 'Doire' in it by any chance? Christy Cooney is standing there with a fairly smug looking grin between his chops... surely he wouldn't want to pit Monaghan along with Derry in the qualifiers, all for the sake of treating those two northern malcontents with the justice they deserve after their hate-fest back in May.

"Playing Monaghan will be... Derry".

I knew it. I just don't trust these draws at all. Call me ridiculously cynical, but we've been framed for this one, and if the GAA want to play that game, then we deserve to give Saturday's viewing public another foul-ridden, football-less encounter. As long as Derry win I couldn't care less. We'll take it out to the car-park if need be! And the rest of the country in their moral perch can moan till they're blue in the face.

In all seriousness though, this is probably the draw both sides wanted to avoid. And Monaghan have it as tough as us. They've already had to play Armagh, and have endured a pretty awful run of consecutive qualifier draws in recent years. Derry will just have to keep their heads and play their game, and hope that that will be enough to beat a Monaghan side that will no doubt be feeling some sort of rejuventaion this week in the wake of their extra-time victory over Armagh.

This match has more baggage than Terminal 5 at Heathrow, but it will probably be for the best if we somehow try and forget what's gone on before, and with or without Paddy Bradley show a willingness to take the game to Seamus McEnaney's side.

Although it's hard to be positive today, as another thunderstorm brews in an increasingly dark sky.