Shelbourne boss Damien Duff has hit back at Shamrock Rovers counterpart Stephen Bradley, after the latter made comments about the budget both Dublin clubs will be operating on in 2024.
Duff and Bradley were on opposite touchlines at Tallaght Stadium on Friday night, as a second-half Graham Burke strike earned a 1-0 win for Rovers that edges them closer to a fourth consecutive Premier Division title.
Prior to the game, Bradley had name-checked Shelbourne when asked about his own relationship with the Rovers board, stating that the Tolka Park side are "talking about being the biggest in the country in terms of budget" next season, as he batted away questions on his future.
In the aftermath of Friday night's meeting, Duff confirmed that he had read the comments, but felt they were aimed at Bradley's employers, rather than himself or his club.
However, the ex-Ireland winger did indicate that the relationship between the pair is cooler than it was in previous times.
Defeat in Tallaght. pic.twitter.com/oTNY8tD6xc
— Shelbourne FC (@shelsfc) September 29, 2023
Damien Duff hits back at Stephen Bradley
"It wasn’t mind games with me," Duff told reporters. "It’s mind games with his own board. He can play them. I obviously read it and was like 'what the f**k is he on about?' Yeah it's the first I've heard of it.
“Is there needle between me and Stephen? It's a competitive edge. It's an absolute edge and maybe I was a lot friendlier with a lot of managers at the start of my two years but that's what competitiveness does. If I was still friends with him, it would probably mean Shelbourne was crap.”
The win for Rovers on Friday night means that they need three wins for their final four games to guarantee that the Premier Division trophy will be staying in Tallaght Stadium for a fourth year.
As for Duff and Shels, the defeat was a blow as they look to secure a top-three finish that would bring European football to Tolka Park next year.
