Glenullin manager Paddy Bradley admits Ulster defeat to Galbally takes gloss off excellent season

Manager Paddy Bradley admits Sunday's heavy Ulster Intermediate Club Championship defeat Galbally may take the gloss off their season for a while but says it can't erase what has been an excellent year for the Mitchel's.
DISAPPOINTED: Glenullin manager Paddy Bradley. (Photo: George Sweeney)DISAPPOINTED: Glenullin manager Paddy Bradley. (Photo: George Sweeney)
DISAPPOINTED: Glenullin manager Paddy Bradley. (Photo: George Sweeney)

Bradley has overseen a dramatic transformation in the fortunes of his own club, a renaissance that culminated with their superb Derry championship victory over Drumsurn. That win presented Sunday's unexpected Ulster opportunity and while the Glenullin manager conceded too many of his men were off the pace in the 7-12 to 1-11 defeat, he remains proud of what they achieved.

"That performance does take the gloss of it and it will hurt for a while," admitted the former All Star forward, "But no one at the start of the year gave us a chance of winning the Derry title. We did that so in many regards it has been a really positive season. A lot of new boys have played senior football for the first time, a lot of boys playing for the last four or five years who have never experienced success have got their hands on a Derry Intermediate Championship medal so from that point of view it is a very successful season even though today it didn't go our way."

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Glenullin found themselves chasing a lead from early on as Galbally hit two goals in the opening 10 minutes and despite briefly threatening an early second half comeback when Feaghal Close's effort struck a post instead of reducing the deficit to four points, the Mitchel's rarely looked like clawing back the lead.

"Listen, they are a very, very good side but we knew that," added Bradley, "They are Ulster Championship favourites for a reason. Look, we weren't at the races either. We conceded a couple of early goals and that's the last thing you want to do against a team as god as Galbally. Then, obviously, we had to chase then game which meant leaving ourselves open at the back.

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The Glenullin manager said he was at a loss as to why so many of his players had failed to perform to the levels they had so regularly this season

"Our game-plan this year has been built around not conceding goals and trying to keep scores down but once you are chasing the game, you leave yourself open at the back.

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"In general we were very, very nervous and some of our handling, our basic errors, I think we gave them most of their goals more so than Galbally creating them. We just had a lot of boys who weren't on top of their performance. I don't know whether it was nerves of what it was, I can't put my finger on it but, look, we have had a real good season. Nobody gave us a chance of winning a Derry title so we have that in the bank. This takes the gloss of it a bit but these boys will bounce back."

on his own future, Bradley said he sit down and take stock before making a decision about next season.

"Listen, I review it every year at the end of the season so I will take stock of what's happened this year. I will chat to the players, the committee and I will weigh up my options to see what's happening. It is very early and after that today I will not be making any rash decisions."

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