David Sneyd
reports from The Ryan McBride Brandywell
Derry City 0
Shelbourne 1
THE LAST THING Damien Duff did before kick-off was rub the pitch, kiss his palm and then bless himself.
The first thing the Shelbourne manager did at full-time when his team were confirmed as champions of Ireland for the first time since 2006 was be swarmed by his bench and engulfed in love and affection.
There will be thousands more back in Dublin waiting to do the same.
Harry Wood will be next in line after the substitute scored the goal that will go down in lore four minutes from time.
Within minutes of the final whistle almost all of the 300 away fans were on the pitch too. Goalkeeper Conor Kearns raced from his goal and just ran wildly. Captain Mark Coyle grabbed anyone in that changed yellow and navy jersey to shake them to try and make them believe.
You better believe it: Shelbourne are champions again.
Wood reacted first in the box to convert the rebound from Sean Boyd’s free kick that could only be parried by Brian Maher.
He celebrated wildly with his top off and it was the cue for delirium amongst the travelling faithful– not to mention the away bench.
Somehow those supporters could sing and roar and drive their team on through seven minutes of tortuous added time.
The title was within their grasp after decades of it being an impossible dream.
Duff has made them believe again and, more than that, delivered on destiny.
“Enjoying ourselves, Shelbourne FC, enjoying ourselves,” they sang for those final few minutes.
It will be a tune heard around Ireland next season on their champions tour.
Everything else that came before in this enthralling, maddening title race no longer mattered.
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The dropped points, the missed opportunities, the drama and the controversy. It was gone, part of a past that will eventually be retold as part of this season’s story.
Everything came down to this night, and Derry already knew their part before kick-off. That of the vanquished and forlorn as another year passed without the trophy they crave most.
All that mattered here for Shelbourne was this game and this result.
So when word came through of Rovers’ opener, some Derry fans took the opportunity to taunt that pocket of 300 away fans in the far left corner. They could have had far more reason to cheer moments later had Ronan Boyce not made a mess of his free header at the back post from Michael Duffy’s free kick.
Shels had their own moments to try their luck, Liam Burt having an early shot blocked on the edge of the box and Paddy Barrett’s ambitious free from 35 yards zipping through a sea of bodes in the box but flashing wide.
Then came a golden opportunity on 17 minutes to take the lead and control of the title race along the final stretch. It was a fine move that ended with a tame miss.
Mark Coyle won a second ball in midfield, JJ Lunney’s first-time pass back to Barrett opened up a passing angle for the centre back straight into the feet of Sean Boyd. The striker’s first-time flick around Duncan Idehen sent Burt into the box from the right side. He beat Andre Wisdom for pace but his shot across Brian Maher had no conviction.
What a story it would have been if the man on-loan from Shamrock Rovers scored the goal to bring the league trophy back to Drumcondra.
It was the best bit of play and remained so until eight minutes before the break when the hosts had a chance of their own that should have broken the deadlock.
Paul McMullan had time and space to open his legs on the right and opted to come inside. Colm Whelan’s run off the shoulder of Kameron Ledwidge was perfect for a slide rule pass and the pace meant he could shoot without breaking stride.
Damien Duff (background, left) roars instructions during the first half. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
The connection was scruffy, though, and Conor Kearns did enough with a burst off his line to block.
Those two passages of play warranted a goal yet, as always tends to be the way, a mistake so easily could have proven decisive when Tyreke Wilson’s hopeful cross into the box was missed at the front post by Ronan Boyce and the ball went all the way to the other side before being claimed by the grateful Maher.
Had Boyd or anyone else gambled a tap in was waiting.
Three minutes into the second half and Boyd did have his chance. Idehen put himself in trouble with poor control on the left side of defence when Shels went long down that side. His next didn’t help and the big striker pounced, striding into the box with enough time to set himself for the strike.
He went for power and smashed his effort straight at Maher. There was a millisecond of silence around the ground as he pulled back his foot, almost in anticipation of a goal.
Derry fans were buoyed by the let-off and the Shels faithful in the corner knew better than to let their groans linger considering the impact their No.9 has had this year.
The knot of nerves in the stomach began to tighten 10 minutes into the second half when destiny could have been confirmed. Just as Dylan Watts made it 2-0 for Rovers, Derry struck the bar when a cross to the back post hung in the air and Danny Mullen rose to direct his attempt goalwards.
Kearns was beaten but the woodwork came to the rescue.
Duff opted for a double change on the hour, introducing Evan Caffrey for Coyle and Ali Coote for Burt.
If anything, the Rovers game simply sharpened Shelbourne’s focus. With 30 minutes to go they knew they had to win. There would be no mixed messages or confusion about events in Dublin, although Waterford did pull one back.
Shels kept the pressure on too and forced opportunities laced with controversy. Sean Gannon was teed up in the box coming from the right but was denied by Maher before Duff was racing down the touchline demanding a penalty when Mark Connolly made contact with Coote in the box but no spot kick was given.
The substitute flashed a volley inches wide from the edge of the box just afterwards but then the real drama happened when the game, and title was won.
Boyd drilled his free kick from just outside the box and Wood prodded home quick as a flash.
His finish in the seventh minute of injury time when he was sent through by Boyd again was nowhere near as good.
But that miss didn’t matter.
Shels held on in and, deservedly, became champions.
Derry City: Brian Maher; Ronan Boyce, Mark Connolly (captain), Duncan Idehen (Shane McEleney 74), Andre Wisdom; Danny Mullen, Adam O’Reilly, Sadou Diallo (Jacob Davenport 74), Michael Duffy; Paul McMullen (Sean Robertson 74), Colm Whelan (Will Patching 65).
Shelbourne: Conor Kearns; Sean Gannon, Paddy Barrett, Kameron Ledwidge, Tyreke Wilson; Liam Burt (Ali Coote 60), Mark Coyle (captain) (Evan Caffrey 60), JJ Lunney, Rayhaan Tulloch (Harry Wood 74); John Martin, Sean Boyd.
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Harry Wood goal secures League of Ireland title for Damien Duff's Shelbourne
Derry City 0
Shelbourne 1
THE LAST THING Damien Duff did before kick-off was rub the pitch, kiss his palm and then bless himself.
The first thing the Shelbourne manager did at full-time when his team were confirmed as champions of Ireland for the first time since 2006 was be swarmed by his bench and engulfed in love and affection.
There will be thousands more back in Dublin waiting to do the same.
Harry Wood will be next in line after the substitute scored the goal that will go down in lore four minutes from time.
Within minutes of the final whistle almost all of the 300 away fans were on the pitch too. Goalkeeper Conor Kearns raced from his goal and just ran wildly. Captain Mark Coyle grabbed anyone in that changed yellow and navy jersey to shake them to try and make them believe.
You better believe it: Shelbourne are champions again.
Wood reacted first in the box to convert the rebound from Sean Boyd’s free kick that could only be parried by Brian Maher.
He celebrated wildly with his top off and it was the cue for delirium amongst the travelling faithful– not to mention the away bench.
Somehow those supporters could sing and roar and drive their team on through seven minutes of tortuous added time.
The title was within their grasp after decades of it being an impossible dream.
Duff has made them believe again and, more than that, delivered on destiny.
“Enjoying ourselves, Shelbourne FC, enjoying ourselves,” they sang for those final few minutes.
It will be a tune heard around Ireland next season on their champions tour.
Everything else that came before in this enthralling, maddening title race no longer mattered.
The dropped points, the missed opportunities, the drama and the controversy. It was gone, part of a past that will eventually be retold as part of this season’s story.
Everything came down to this night, and Derry already knew their part before kick-off. That of the vanquished and forlorn as another year passed without the trophy they crave most.
All that mattered here for Shelbourne was this game and this result.
So when word came through of Rovers’ opener, some Derry fans took the opportunity to taunt that pocket of 300 away fans in the far left corner. They could have had far more reason to cheer moments later had Ronan Boyce not made a mess of his free header at the back post from Michael Duffy’s free kick.
Shels had their own moments to try their luck, Liam Burt having an early shot blocked on the edge of the box and Paddy Barrett’s ambitious free from 35 yards zipping through a sea of bodes in the box but flashing wide.
Then came a golden opportunity on 17 minutes to take the lead and control of the title race along the final stretch. It was a fine move that ended with a tame miss.
Mark Coyle won a second ball in midfield, JJ Lunney’s first-time pass back to Barrett opened up a passing angle for the centre back straight into the feet of Sean Boyd. The striker’s first-time flick around Duncan Idehen sent Burt into the box from the right side. He beat Andre Wisdom for pace but his shot across Brian Maher had no conviction.
What a story it would have been if the man on-loan from Shamrock Rovers scored the goal to bring the league trophy back to Drumcondra.
It was the best bit of play and remained so until eight minutes before the break when the hosts had a chance of their own that should have broken the deadlock.
Paul McMullan had time and space to open his legs on the right and opted to come inside. Colm Whelan’s run off the shoulder of Kameron Ledwidge was perfect for a slide rule pass and the pace meant he could shoot without breaking stride.
The connection was scruffy, though, and Conor Kearns did enough with a burst off his line to block.
Those two passages of play warranted a goal yet, as always tends to be the way, a mistake so easily could have proven decisive when Tyreke Wilson’s hopeful cross into the box was missed at the front post by Ronan Boyce and the ball went all the way to the other side before being claimed by the grateful Maher.
Had Boyd or anyone else gambled a tap in was waiting.
Three minutes into the second half and Boyd did have his chance. Idehen put himself in trouble with poor control on the left side of defence when Shels went long down that side. His next didn’t help and the big striker pounced, striding into the box with enough time to set himself for the strike.
He went for power and smashed his effort straight at Maher. There was a millisecond of silence around the ground as he pulled back his foot, almost in anticipation of a goal.
Derry fans were buoyed by the let-off and the Shels faithful in the corner knew better than to let their groans linger considering the impact their No.9 has had this year.
The knot of nerves in the stomach began to tighten 10 minutes into the second half when destiny could have been confirmed. Just as Dylan Watts made it 2-0 for Rovers, Derry struck the bar when a cross to the back post hung in the air and Danny Mullen rose to direct his attempt goalwards.
Kearns was beaten but the woodwork came to the rescue.
Duff opted for a double change on the hour, introducing Evan Caffrey for Coyle and Ali Coote for Burt.
If anything, the Rovers game simply sharpened Shelbourne’s focus. With 30 minutes to go they knew they had to win. There would be no mixed messages or confusion about events in Dublin, although Waterford did pull one back.
Shels kept the pressure on too and forced opportunities laced with controversy. Sean Gannon was teed up in the box coming from the right but was denied by Maher before Duff was racing down the touchline demanding a penalty when Mark Connolly made contact with Coote in the box but no spot kick was given.
The substitute flashed a volley inches wide from the edge of the box just afterwards but then the real drama happened when the game, and title was won.
Boyd drilled his free kick from just outside the box and Wood prodded home quick as a flash.
His finish in the seventh minute of injury time when he was sent through by Boyd again was nowhere near as good.
But that miss didn’t matter.
Shels held on in and, deservedly, became champions.
Derry City: Brian Maher; Ronan Boyce, Mark Connolly (captain), Duncan Idehen (Shane McEleney 74), Andre Wisdom; Danny Mullen, Adam O’Reilly, Sadou Diallo (Jacob Davenport 74), Michael Duffy; Paul McMullen (Sean Robertson 74), Colm Whelan (Will Patching 65).
Shelbourne: Conor Kearns; Sean Gannon, Paddy Barrett, Kameron Ledwidge, Tyreke Wilson; Liam Burt (Ali Coote 60), Mark Coyle (captain) (Evan Caffrey 60), JJ Lunney, Rayhaan Tulloch (Harry Wood 74); John Martin, Sean Boyd.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin.
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Damien Duff Derry City history made Shelbourne Soccer SSE Airtricity League Premier Division