BRIAN McIVER LAST night closed the door on Eoin Bradley returning to the Derry squad for the championship.
The forward missed Derry’s league campaign due to soccer commitments with Coleraine but was expected to return to the squad ahead of the Ulster championship tie with Donegal on Sunday week.
However at last night’s media briefing in Owenbeg, McIver ruled out any possibility of the Glenullin star playing in an Oak Leaf jersey this summer – and also revealed that James Kielt is a major doubt for next week’s game with a groin injury.
The Derry manager indicated that Bradley’s decision to sign a two-year contract with Irish Cup champions Glenavon last Friday effectively ended his GAA inter-county career.
“Eoin has signed a two year contract with Glenavon, and I think the soccer went better for him than he envisaged being the case,” said McIver.
“To be fair to him I think he, and myself, thought he would play a bit of soccer over the winter and then return to the gaelic but it went very well for him.
It was always going to come down to whatever he was doing next year and once he signed for Glenavon, that more or less drew a line underneath that (returning for Derry).
“Eoin and me have discussed this. All I can do is wish him the best of luck on that.”
Even if Bradley is in superb form for his club Glenullin in the coming weeks and months, McIver insisted he will not recall him to the squad.
“The problem with that is we are looking at the long-term development of players.
“We base our selection on what we have seen in training, and Eoin hasn’t been with us. He will be playing soccer in August and will be missing next year’s league as well so that is that really.”
Midfielder PJ McCloskey has been ruled out of the showdown with Donegal in Celtic Park with a knee injury.
And McIver also admitted there is concern over a groin injury James Kielt picked up in the league victory over Kildare.
“It has been slow to respond but we are certainly not ruling him out at this stage,” added McIver.
“We will know more at the start of next week.”