Mark Bradley is getting better and better. And better.
Tyrone watched their league final ambitions take a hit on Sunday as they were condemned to another one-point defeat by Mayo and then both Monaghan and Donegal moved ahead of them in Division One after their draw in Ballyshannon.
But if it’s the championship that Mickey Harte is really concerned about, he can take serious, serious heart from the performance of a couple of men. Men like Colm Cavanagh and Mattie Donnelly. Men like Niall Sludden who, despite only being given a ridiculous 15 minutes on Sunday thanks to the ref, he just looks unstoppable.
What a complete joke https://t.co/VvWuWGzKBG #Sludden #Keegan #Mayo #Tyrone
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) March 26, 2017
Then you have men like Mark Bradley, as nippy as he is skillful, as hearty as he is accurate.
Tyrone might still be struggling with a lack of world-beating full forwards but they have enough in their locker throughout the rest of the team to shake whoever they want to and, when Mark Bradley is in the sort of form he was in on Sunday, he is hard to work with.
The Killyclogher star kicked three from play for his county during their 1-10 to 0-12 defeat at Healy Park. He ran around the forward line with freedom and joy and he ran the opposing defenders ragged in the process.
Ball won inside 13'
Mattie Donnelly diagonal pass
Sean Cavanagh diagonal pass
Mark Bradley over the barTotal football from @TyroneGAALive
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) March 26, 2017
In the first half, he hit the best of his lot when he pulled out pure magic from his arsenal to waltz around Colm Boyle for fun.
Boyle and all his tenacity locks in on the forward.
Bradley sees him coming. You bet your arse he does.
Boyle is airborne.
Still.
Bradley is laughing.
Boyle can only watch as Bradley darts around him and curls over.
Just brilliant.
Naturally, there was a lot of love for the little genius.
Mark Bradley's dummy 👌 #tyroneVmayo
— ciaran murphy (@murphysgloves) March 26, 2017
He could start his own business.
Mark Bradley selling more dummies than Mothercare.
— Kieran Cunningham (@KCsixtyseven) March 26, 2017
Class.
Mark Bradley that was just class #GAABEO
— Paul Reidy (@reido82) March 26, 2017
Bring us back something.
https://twitter.com/krn_brk/status/846007336334491648
The highest possible compliment.
Shades of Stephen O'Neill v Kildare from Mark Bradley there with that dummy solo on Colm Boyle
— ConorMcKeon (@ConorMcKn) March 26, 2017
Mayo had the last laugh with a crucial win. But Bradley is another reason why Tyrone can make more noises this summer.
