Glenullin's Eoin Bradley at 42 is 'out plastering on a site' daily ahead of club All-Ireland final

Michael Bolton

At the age of 42, Eoin Bradley has shown no signs of slowing down ahead of the All-Ireland final with Glenullin this Sunday.

The former Derry footballer has had an eventful sporting career, having played soccer in the Irish League and club football of over 20 years with Glenullin.

Looking back at it all Bradley admits Sunday's intermediate final against An Ghaeltacht is the biggest of them all.

At this point of his life, Bradley does not feel nerves, and is enjoying the moment.

"I probably enjoy it more, said Bradley.

“Now, I'd never get nervous in my life. The bigger the game, the better I'd think I'd play, hopefully I'm not scudding myself. There is no point in being nervous.

"This is what you train for. It is just different. Now that you get older in your career, you probably appreciate it more. You know you haven't that many games left.

“You probably enjoy it more; you're telling young boys to enjoy it. They may think it will happen every year, but it doesn't.

“I enjoy it, I've been running about the last three or four weeks, you couldn't snooker me. The shackles are off, it is about going to enjoy yourself, and what better place to do that in Ireland, than Croke Park with your club.”

At a time of science and strength and conditioning play such a huge role in players' fitness preparations, Bradley prefers a more old-school approach.

With his experience and playing two sports at the same time for so long, the combination of two managers helped keep him in shape for the biggest moments.

"The thing that really helped me for the last 10 or 15 years was soccer.

"The soccer kept me sharp, and the Gaelic kept me going physically. The two of them combined really well for about 10 years, and it was just about keeping that training going.

"At my age, I wouldn't be big on the gym work, more stretch on recovery. Strength and conditioning, me at 42 years of age, I don't need it.

"If I am out plastering on a site for a day, I don't need to be going to a gym that evening and doing strength and conditioning.

"For me personally, it has just been about taking care of my body and not putting on any excess weight."

In what will be a huge day for the Glenullin community, it will especially be a special day for the Bradley family.

His father Liam, was crucial to his development as a player, making GAA a huge part of their lives from an early age.

“To be fair, anything I've ever done, whether it has been soccer or Gaelic, it doesn't matter, he has supported me. It has always been Gaelic for him.

“When (my brother) Paddy or I were no height, I mean four or five years of age, we'd be going up the road, singing songs, you'd sit in the back.

"You'd basically sing songs, going to training. He was always involved. I think he made Paddy and me players.

“He used to tell us, take men on. “As forwards, Paddy and I were renowned for taking players on, all our careers.

"He'd driven that into us from when I was young. Take players on. Don't turn back. Take men on. Take men on.