David Sneyd

BOTH MEN WORE black and by the end it suited a sombre Stephen Kenny.

When St Patrick’s Athletic conceded a 96th-minute winner their new manager understandably looked crestfallen.

After the final whistle he stood by his bench waiting to see his players off the pitch.

He didn’t move much. It was easy to mistake it for being caught in a daze.

Damien Duff, on the other hand, raced over for a quick handshake with his former Ireland boss before skipping down the steps to the away dressing with a 2-1 victory and crucial three points secured.

“Started checking and doing my homework for [Shamrock] Rovers on Friday,” the Shelbourne boss said.

“Job done, yeah, amazing, not many better feelings in life than scoring a last-minute winner. I have to say it’s deserved but parked and move on now.”

But in those final few seconds of injury time Evan Caffrey, who Duff had as his captain at Rovers’ U17s, produced a moment that led to his manager releasing that primal roar of celebration. One so loud it could probably have been heard across the pitch on the Camac side.

“That’s why we’re here. If you’re not going to celebrate things you might as well not leave your house. So, yeah, celebrate it, like I said, last kick of the game,” Duff added.

“They got back in the game, [Jake] Mulraney, we know his dangers, he’s one of the best free kick takers in the world – not the league – but the world, but we changed a few things and, yeah, deserved it.”

With Rovers beating Derry City 1-0 last night Shels now have a four-point lead over the Candystripes at the top of the table and are six clear of the five-in-a-row-chasing champions ahead of their clash at Tallaght Stadium on Friday.

But the Duff-Kenny dynamic was an interesting subplot given their previous relationship working for Ireland.

“It’s not a story to me, like I said on Friday, I don’t speak to anyone, and it wasn’t a lie so it’s irrelevant who is on the sideline. I used to do a bit with Stephen Bradley, he’s on the sideline on Friday but it’s irrelevant, it’s all about the team, the staff and players of Shelbourne Football Club,” Duff said.

“Outside of football, inside of football, there’s not many better feelings in life than getting a last-minute winner and I mean that. Absolutely amazing… I’d probably run the length of the pitch and I’m on it with them. But I’m not going to run past an opposition dugout. It’s parked now and all about making new memories.”

It could not have been a more drastic contrast with Kenny, who has lost his opening two games with his new side having only taken charge last Thursday.

While the bond and commitment between Duff and his players is clear, especially how they carry out the responsibilities on the pitch, that is something Kenny has yet to be able to establish.

“I feel for the players. I thought they showed great character. The players are devastated to lose it like that. They gave a lot, they gave an awful lot,” he said, this 2-1 defeat coming on the back of a 1-0 loss to Derry City with a trip to Bohemians on Friday.

“We have played the top two teams in the league at the moment – numbers one and two – and there has been very little in the games. The games have been very evenly contested. But it seems to have been a recurring theme for St Pat’s that they just seem to be… someone said it was like deja vu for them, that they have conceded some goals late in games and lost some tight games.

“So it’s a tough night for the players to experience that, but overall I was very encouraged by a lot of what I saw and they can take confidence from that.

“Damien has done really well, he is obviously in his third season with Shelbourne and each year they have gotten better. This year they look like they have a really cohesive team, which St Patrick’s Athletic aren’t at the moment, you can sort of sense they aren’t. But that’s part of the process now, to formulate that, and we have to do that.”

While Kenny is looking to reshape the Pat’s squad, Duff has moulded his to the point they are now challenging for the title.

A win like last night only adds to a feeling of faith – and fate – amongst supporters.

“I think I’ve a belief anyway, is it too much belief? When we come off it in certain games,  that scruffy little run, it’s hard to win games anyway but we were just off in those games. The guys believe,” Duff said.

“I’m not talking about winning the league, they believe we can maintain our position up around the top of the table, it’s what we’ve gradually built towards. First year, cup final and safe. Second year, Europe. Both deserved. This year, yeah, of course I want to get to Europe again. We’ve got a points total, can we get to it? Let’s see.”