Shelbourne manager Damien Duff has claimed today’s semi-final win over Waterford is the greatest moment of his managerial career.
In difficult conditions at the RSC in a crowd of 4,952, it was an early goal from Gavin Molloy that sent Shelbourne to the Aviva Stadium.
In a game where they could have regretted their missed chances, it was a huge sense of relief at full time, as Shelbourne reached their first final since 2011.
Shels lead in Waterford.
The crispest of strikes by Gavin Molloy as the Premier Division outfit go ahead.
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Standing in their way on the 13th of November is Derry City, who ran out 2-1 winners over Treaty United.
It hasn’t been an easy season for Shelbourne, who currently lie in seventh place in the League Of Ireland, six points behind Bohemians.
In his first season as manager of Shelbourne, and his first as manager of a senior side, Damien Duff has been known to not hold back.
The Ireland winger has brought the high standards and emotion form his very successful playing days to his managerial career, and was filled with happiness after today’s victory, with a cheeky comment on the past week’s events.
“The guys are in there singing songs, you just want to be careful with what you play.
Absolutely amazing, its dreams come true. Absolutely blows away anything I’ve ever done in my career. Obviously, a hostile crowd, four or five thousand.
Did we play great? No, but I told the guys in the dressing room before hand, it was 18 Lions, versus four or five thousand, and we come out on top, couldn’t be any prouder.”
Damien Duff has experienced his fare share of big encounters through his playing days, and will relish the opportunity as the underdog against Derry in November.
“I’ll have to change my mindset because all I’ve said all along is get to the final, get to the final, I never addressed about winning the final.
So the guys, the staff, myself alone will have to change their mindset. We are in it to win it.
We’ve won, we shouldn’t be here. Little old Shels as people calls us, everyone hates us I think.”
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