SHAUN Bradley is the man to thank for keeping the pitch in good order during Donegal’s most recent match at Croke Park.
The Letterkenny man seized a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to volunteer at the Donegal v Kerry clash on Sunday 21st July as part of the Croke Park Inclusion Day
Shaun, who is a member of the Donegal Down Syndrome branch, worked as a key groundsman for the two quarter-finals of that day.
And he proudly sported his Donegal jersey underneath his groundsman bib while carrying out the role for his county.
“It was an enjoyable and a good experience,” Shaun told Donegal Daily.
“I was a thing I always wanted to do.
“It was an absolute honour, going all the way from Donegal to be there. Being on the pitch was amazing. It blew me away,” he said.
Shaun was one of four groundskeepers from Down Syndrome Ireland who were invited by the GAA for the experience on 21st July. The inclusion day was an opportunity for young adults with Down Syndrome to gain experience and to showcase their ability.
For Shaun, it was also a great way to catch an unparalleled view of the games.
“Both the Mayo v Meath and Donegal v Kerry games were very good. We were very close to winning our game. It was a really tough, nail-biting match to watch,” he said.
When asked for his prediction for Donegal v Mayo on Saturday, Shaun said: “I don’t know, I’ll be honest, I think we might finish the job. We didn’t get a chance to win our game against Kerry so I think we’ll try to beat Mayo now.
“We haven’t got the Sam Maguire since 2012, so I think it’s our turn again.”
