A Donegal man with Wexford
Bradley graced the football stage from 1965 to 1968
LAST WEEK’S chat with Luke White got me thinking: did anyone ever make a similar journey but in the opposite direction, in other words a Donegal native playing for Wexford?
And there was an obvious answer, albeit in football rather than hurling, naturally enough.
One proud son of the northwest graced the county with his presence in the 1960s, and his name will surely evoke memories among the football fraternity of that era.
Not alone did this new arrival represent Wexford with distinction in football, he also donned the same maroon jersey that Luke has sported since childhood with St. Martin’s in some key games.
John Bradley burst on the scene locally in 1965 and went on to represent his adopted county with considerable merit in the Under-21, Junior and Senior grades, before returning home after marrying a Kilrane lady.
Work brought the Lifford native to Rosslare, and he immediately threw in his lot with the local St. Mary’s club.
A contemporary described him as ‘a pocket rocket, small in stature but a mighty man to field a ball’.
He usually operated for the club either at centre-back or around the middle of the field, although he displayed his versatility by making a name for himself as a forward on the Senior inter-county scene.
The Under-21 grade had been established in Wexford in 1964 and, while Rosslare joined with Our Lady’s Island for the inaugural competition, they moved in a different direction twelve months later with outstanding results.
The amalgamation of St. Martin’s and St. Mary’s blazed a trail of glory that brought them all the way to the county title, and it was clear that John Bradley was the key man in that success.
Indeed, the St. Martin’s club history, published in 1982, had the following to say about the 4-12 to 1-4 win over Gorey Young Emmets in the final, played in St. Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy, on September 19: ‘Best footballer on view was midfielder John Bradley, a Donegal man, whose non-stop action, tenacity and amazing capacity to block the ball on the boot of an opponent, delighted even supporters on the losing side.’
And it was a similar story when the championship was retained in 1966, with Ballyhogue beaten in Wexford Park by 3-10 to 1-6 almost exactly one year to the day since that first triumph, just 24 hours earlier on September 18.
Ned Culleton’s history noted that ‘St. Martin’s trump card was at midfield where John Bradley and Vincent Staples dominated’.
Other household names to share in those successes included Liam Griffin (in 1965), Eddie Cousins and a very young Matt Wickham, one of the star forwards on Wexford’s Leinster Minor-winning football team of 1969.
John Bradley’s exploits in that first successful Under-21 club campaign attracted the attention of the county selectors, and he played at right corner-forward for Wexford when they lost the Leinster semi-final at that level to Kildare by 2-13 to 2-8 in Newbridge on July 4, 1965 – his first outing in purple and gold.
The Senior selectors at the time were Pat Sheehan (Gorey Blues), Paco Sheehan (Sarsfields), Paddy Kehoe (Gusserane), Dan Spillane (Kilmore), Harry O’Connor (Starlights), and Fr. Dan Nolan (Ballyhogue).
Recognising the Ulster newcomer’s promise, they drafted him in for three pre-Christmas National League matches at the end of 1965, although it was hardly a promising time to be joining the squad.
Indeed, Bradley played in defeats to Carlow (4-9 to 2-3) and Kilkenny (1-9 to 0-10) in Dr. Cullen Park and Nowlan Park respectively before grabbing a precious point against Waterford in Tramore on November 14.
And that first score after his name in a Wexford jersey certainly proved crucial, as the team won by 0-6 to 0-5 following a vital contribution from the right half-forward.
With his prowess growing with every passing game, John Bradley went on to be very busy in 1966, playing nine competitive inter-county matches across the Under-21, Junior and Senior grades.
Indeed, in St. Patrick’s Park on June 5 of that year, he scored a goal in a 3-7 to 3-6 Junior loss to Carlow, before coming on during an O’Byrne Cup clash against the same opponents immediately afterwards and scoring 0-2 in a 2-8 to 3-5 draw!
Another important contribution was made in Wexford Park on November 13, as it was Bradley’s goal that made all the difference in a 1-8 to 1-6 National League victory against Waterford.
He had the distinction of playing twice in a fortnight in Croke Park in 1967, lining out at right half-forward as the Seniors surprised Kildare by 4-6 to 0-9 in the Division 3 semi-final before going down heavily to Dublin in the decider (4-12 to 0-6).
April 23 of that year also brought his championship debut in the top grade, coming on for dual star Joe Foley in a 0-10 to 0-8 first round loss to Wicklow in Aughrim.
Bradley’s last match with his adopted county was in the following year’s Leinster campaign, scoring 1-1 from left half-forward in a 2-12 to 1-9 exit at the same stage versus Laois in Carlow on April 28.
A more significant event in 1968 was his marriage to Rita Doyle from Kilrane, with the newly-weds setting up home in John’s native Co. Donegal.
He transferred from St. Mary’s to the famed Seán Mac Cumhaills club from the twin towns of Ballybofey and Stranorlar, but he had certainly left his imprint on the G.A.A. scene in Wexford.
And his footballing prowess was also recognised by his own people, as he went on to play in one Ulster Senior championship game with Donegal – lining out at right corner-forward in a 3-8 to 2-6 defeat to Antrim on his own club’s pitch in 1970.
St. Mary’s (Rosslare) stalwart Gerry Byrne has commenced the arduous but ultimately rewarding task of compiling the club history.
And it’s thanks to him that I’m able to confirm that John Bradley is hale and hearty and still living in Stranorlar, having completed a term as President of the local golf club in the recent past.
I had hoped to grab a few words with the man himself, but that’s easier said than done in these trying times.
Instead, and to conclude this trip down memory lane, I thought it might be of interest to list some of the Wexford teams that John lined out with between 1965 and 1968.
First up is the Under-21 side, beaten in the Leinster semi-final by Kildare in St. Conleth’s Park, Newbridge, on July 4, 1965, by 2-13 to 2-8 (John’s Wexford debut): Tom Kirwan (Sarsfields);
Dan Quigley (Rathnure), John Furlong (Kilmore/Rathangan), Davy Rowe (Kilmore/Rathangan); Willie O’Neill (Kilmore/Rathangan), Paddy O’Leary (Sarsfields), Vincent Staples (St. Martin’s); Patsy Cleere (Half Way House, 1-0), Michael Miskella (Clongeen, 0-1); Liam Griffin (St. Mary’s, Rosslare), Denis Asple (Ballyhogue, 0-3), Andy Merrigan (Castletown); John Bradley (St. Mary’s, Rosslare), Tom Byrne (Starlights, 0-1), Jack Berry (Kilmore/Rathangan, 0-3). Subs. - Tom Lawlor (Castletown) for Griffin, Joe Moran (Kilmore/ Rathangan, 1-0) for Bradley.
His Junior championship debut was a 2-9 to 1-7 win against Wicklow in Aughrim on April 3, 1966: Fintan Campbell (Ballymitty); Paudge Doyle (Gusserane), Michael Duffin (Gusserane), Davy Rowe (St. Anne’s); Tony O’Loughlin (Half Way House), Mick Culleton (Gusserane), Nicky Kavanagh (Half Way House); Pat Hughes (Kilanerin), Seán Myers (Gusserane); John Bradley (St.
Mary’s, Rosslare, 0-4), Jim Berry (St. Anne’s, 0-4), Dermot Roche (Ballymitty); Tom Cleary (Dan O’Connell’s, 0-1), Jim ‘Sacker’ Furlong (Volunteers, 2-0), Seamus Boland (Kilanerin). Sub. - Joe Moran (St. Anne’s) for Roche.
Finally, John’s last game in a Wexford jersey was the 2-12 to 1-9 Leinster Senior championship defeat to Laois in Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow, on April 28, 1968: Tom Kirwan (St. Joseph’s); Denis Asple (Ballyhogue), Pat Leacy (Ballyhogue), Davy Rowe (St. Anne’s); Dave Bernie (Ferns St. Aidan’s), Eddie Walsh (Ballyhogue), Larry O’Shaughnessy (Castletown); Andy Merrigan (Castletown), Patsy Farrell (Gusserane); Hugh Byrne (Gusserane, 0-1), Jack Berry (St. Anne’s, 0-6), John Bradley (St. Mary’s, Rosslare, 1-1); Jim Berry (St. Anne’s), Tony O’Leary (Sarsfields), Joe O’Shaughnessy (Castletown, 0-1). Subs. - Oliver Cullen (Castletown) for Byrne, Seán Kavanagh (Sarsfields) for Cullen.