Duff savouring Dublin Derby at packed Tolka | OneFootball

All eyes will be on Tolka Park tomorrow night as the Dublin Derby takes centre stage, with Shelbourne FC and Bohemian FC renewing rivalries in front of a capacity crowd 4,830 (Virgin Media Two // 7:45 pm KO).

Damien Duff’s side booked their place in the last 8 of the FAI Cup a week ago by overcoming Galway United on penalties.

After training, the Shels boss delivered an injury update to ShelbourneFC.ie: “Everyone is fit except for Sean Boyd (calf) and Dean Williams (knee). Other than that, we’ve a full-strength squad to choose from.

“The good news is the lads are getting close, they’re on the home stretch and back on the pitch. Expect them back to full training over the coming weeks, and as long as there are no setbacks, we’ll see them both back involved sooner rather than later.”

Duff feels the FAI Cup tie will stand to his side as they return to League of Ireland action tomorrow night:

“We deserved to go through. We went the distance, won on penalties, and I’d back Conor Kearns against any keeper or team in this country. Alongside Conor, we had five excellent penalty takers. It was a tricky tie, but we were ultra-dominant.

“It wasn’t scrappy at all—we were playing a really good team. Galway are set-piece masters, and they have a specific style of play, which is really good. To live with it, you have to dominate the ball, and I thought we did that really well from the start, wore them down, and created brilliant chances.

“Although we didn’t finish all the chances, and maybe could’ve done it in the 90, I never criticise anyone for missing a chance. We got what we deserved, we went through against a very good side, and I’m delighted to be in the next round.”

This will be the third meeting of Shels and Bohs this season. Shels won 2-0 in Dalymount, while Bohs were winners at Tolka 2-1 later in the campaign. Reflecting on those meetings, Duff said:

“We have played really well, even in the game we lost, but gave away two poor goals. The last few weeks the message has been really clear: there’s no room for gifts now. We’re at the business end of the season.

“It’s a derby, with a lot on it for both teams. This isn’t about being overcome with emotion or blood and thunder— we need to stay calm and just go about our business.”

Duff knows Bohs pose quality in every position and is braced for a massive challenge: “The Dublin Derby, we know there will be an edge tomorrow. I know we’ll bring that and match it, but we need to bring calmness and quality to our play as well, and I back our guys to go out and deliver that.”

“The games earlier in the season, we didn’t spend too much time on them. They’ve changed how they build up, press, and keep the ball. They’ve evolved a lot since the start of the season, so we can’t take much from earlier matches. We know it’s a very different challenge to the one we’ve faced in the other games at Dalymount and Tolka earlier in the season.”

The Reds’ return to the top flight has rekindled a rivalry that burned brightest at the turn of the century, as Shels and Bohs were the top teams in the domestic game. Duff knows it’s a fixture that is never short of excitement:

“They’ve always been real derby games. Fans probably remember the cup game here fondly—that was a big moment in our journey as a staff and group of players. Tomorrow night could be another significant moment in our season. It definitely feels that way, but we have to remember it’s just like the other nine games in the league between now and the end of the season, and the FAI Cup quarter-final. It’s crucial that we don’t get wrapped up in the occasion of it and simply focus on playing the game.”

Tomorrow night will mark the biggest home attendance at Tolka Park since 2006, with 4,380 home fans among the capacity crowd at Tolka Park. Duff says they have an important part to play:

“What do we want to see from the stands? It goes hand in hand with what we want to see from the players—the people on the pitch and the people in the stands giving it everything for the three castles on the chest.”

“We want to hear the fans, and the fans want to see the players wear their hearts on their sleeves and give it their all for the crest. Most importantly, it’s about getting the win. There’s no doubt the atmosphere will be amazing, and it will be a brilliant experience for the players. I know some of them won’t have ever experienced anything like it. The fans might get carried away, that’s fine, but the players need to stay calm, remain professional, and get their job done.”