Football

Ever wanted to beat Joe Brolly? Here's your chance to...

Joe Brolly also took part in the Casement to Croke Park challenge . The cycle was organised by Paul Stevenson and team in aid of DeterMND Trust .  Established on behalf of Anto Finnegan to raise awareness of Motor Neurone Disaese .
Joe Brolly also took part in the Casement to Croke Park challenge . The cycle was organised by Paul Stevenson and team in aid of DeterMND Trust . Established on behalf of Anto Finnegan to raise awareness of Motor Neurone Disaese . Joe Brolly also took part in the Casement to Croke Park challenge . The cycle was organised by Paul Stevenson and team in aid of DeterMND Trust . Established on behalf of Anto Finnegan to raise awareness of Motor Neurone Disaese .

JOE Brolly has invited any cyclist who has ever wanted to give him “a good, tight beating” to sign up for ‘Man of Sperrin’ Bike Sportive which will be run in aid of Derry GAA on Sunday June 11.

Billed as “the hardest 100km bike ride you will ever do,” the Man of Sperrin Five Peaks is a gruelling route which comprises a series of mountain climbs in Brolly’s native Derry.

There is also an entry-level route, the Man of Sperrin Two Peaks, which is suitable for beginners and novices. Registration for both events can be done at www.manofsperrin.com.

While Brolly said he should be signing up for the entry-level route, he revealed that former Irish News journalist Paddy Heaney press-ganged him into doing the Five Peaks.

Heaney, who owns the Train Station gym in Maghera, has helped to organise the event.

Of the five mountain climbs facing participants in Man of Sperrin, Benbradagh, which provides the backdrop to Brolly’s hometown, is undoubtedly the toughest.

“Cyclists don’t know about Benbradagh because the road up to it doesn’t lead anywhere. During World War II, the Americans built a Naval Base on it.

“But I’ve been on a bike in the Alps and I’ve climbed Mount Ventoux. Give me the Alps any day,” said Brolly.

“Benbradagh just sucks the life force out of you. By the time you get to the bridge, where the gradient is 27 per cent, it’s a struggle to turn the pedals.

“Paddy [Heaney] organised a trial event for this last year and he said more than half of the cyclists had to dismount at the bridge.”

Brolly has encouraged Derry’s GAA cycling enthusiasts to get behind Man of Sperrin. The former All-Ireland winner believes the event provides a chance for ordinary people to support the county.

“Derry people are obsessive about the GAA and a lot of people would have no problem supporting the county if they could. This bike ride will provide the opportunity for them to do that,” he said.

The former Allstar also extended a special invitation to cyclists from neighbouring Tyrone to enter ‘Man of Sperrin’.

“The way things tend to work is that we in Derry do the thing first, then the Tyrone men copy us. We won the National League in 1947. Tyrone came along about 50 years later and did the same.

“We won the All-Ireland title in ’93. Ten years later, Tyrone copied us. You get the idea?

“I wouldn’t be surprised if this time next year Tyrone GAA are promoting a sportive in the Sperrins. That’s fair enough,” said Brolly.

“But we should co-operate on this. If Tyrone’s men and women do Man of Sperrin, then we’ll do their event too. According to reports, I hear their senior team could be doing with the money,” quipped Brolly.

Derry’s stock has dropped considerably from the time when Brolly was in his pomp. Relegated to Division Three in this year’s League, the Oak Leafers are not expected to many any impact in this year’s Championship.

Despite the general gloom surrounding the county senior team, Brolly was adamant that Derry could be a force again soon.

“You just have to look at our record in club Championships. Slaughtneil are the Ulster senior champions and Glen beat Crossmaglen in the Ulster U21 final.

“Our clubs produce excellent footballers. St Mary’s Magherafelt and St Patrick’s Maghera basically swept the board in the Ulster Colleges’ competitions.

“Our clubs are producing the players and the schools have started to harness that talent. The challenge facing the county is to develop and harness that talent from minor to senior level.

“If we can do that, and I believe we can, then Derry will prevail. We are the Men of Sperrin. We will prevail,” laughed Brolly.