Skin in the game

Nothing in his long and successful sporting career will top running out in his club shirt at Croke Park on All Ireland final day.

That's the view of former Coleraine forward and Derry county star Eoin 'Skinner' Bradley who spearheads his club's bid to win a first All Ireland club title at GAA headquarters this weekend.

A vital component of Glenullin's Derry Senior Football Championship winning team back in 2007 and the Derry squad which won the National League in 2008, he later switched codes and enjoyed much success in the Irish League with Glenavon and Coleraine, winning the Irish Cup with both.

Despite that, winning a national title on behalf of his community would eclipse everything admits the indomitable forward who turned 42 on December 30.

"I think this is the top of my sporting career, I've no bother saying that there," says Bradley ahead of Sunday's meeting with Kerry and Munster champions An Ghaeltacht

"I've won club championships with Glenullin - a senior Championship 2007 and a couple of intermediate champions. I've won the Irish Cup with Glenavon and Coleraine.

"We won Ulster this year – the first time the club has ever been in that situation - and now the first time in an All Ireland final.

"I don't think anything will ever top this here - even if I play for another 10-15 years!

"I think in Glenullin there's only a couple of hundred houses but the work that goes on around Glenullin is no like other club – nothing's a bother. You seen the boys clearing the snow for training.

"I know when you're winning it's easier but, for me, it's the best club ever. What they've done for me personally, it's a bit like giving back now to the community.

"Sunday's a massive day for everybody involved, not just the players.

"It's a family feeling club and if we could bring an All Ireland up that road it would mean as much to older generations as it would to me. Hopefully we can do it now.

"Whenever you're growing up as a youngster in GAA terms to run out at Croke Park for your club is the ultimate goal and I'm getting to do it on Sunday so I don't think anything will ever beat that."

Despite his advancing years and when many others his age have settled for a gentler pace of life Bradley shows no sign of slowing down, refuting any suggestion that this weekend could bring the curtain down on his sporting endeavours.

"I'll not make that decision yet but if we win on Sunday you can't really top it at my age can you?" he continues.

"The body's getting no easier and takes a bit longer to recover but I don't really mind either way.

"The manager might tell me to retire – someone else might retire me - but I probably enjoy it more now that I'm older."

Enjoyment has always been something associated with the younger brother of former All Star Paddy Bradley - for him and for those watching on.

"I've never been nervous in my life – the bigger the game the better I think I play," adds one of sport's last great entertainers.

"Hopefully I'm not scudding myself but there's no point in being nervous, that's what you train for.

"I probably appreciate it more now I haven't many games left and you're telling the younger boys to just enjoy it. They maybe think it's gonna happen every year but it doesn't.

"I've been running about there the past few weeks and you couldn't sicken me. The shackles are off now – it's just about going and enjoying yourself and what better place to do it than Croke Park.

"The more times you play in big games the less you'll feel it. In my whole career I've never been nervous, that's kinda my personality, you get what you see.

"Them days are to be enjoyed and why would you not enjoy them: go out, work your hardest, do what manager tells you and enjoy yourself.

"If you enjoy yourself you'll play with freedom. That's been my motto throughout my career and I think that's why I've had such a long and good career.

"To run out at Croke Park with your club jersey on be some feeling, something that I never thought would happen to me and I feel very lucky.

"There's so many people has done so much work and I can't thank them enough: maybe one way to thank them would be to win on Sunday."

* The AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Intermediate club final will finish off the weekend’s club action on Sunday with throw-in at 3:30pm for the match between Glenullin and An Ghaeltacht at Croke Park.

* Coverage on TG4.