DUFF DODGES FURTHER INJURIES BEFORE FINAL
DAMIEN DUFF was relieved to escape Richmond Park without fresh injury or suspension concerns ahead of Sunday’s FAI Cup final.
Shelbourne face Derry City at the Aviva but the Candystripes have been rocked after losing Sadou Diallo to a red card against Dundalk.
It is a considerable blow as the English midfielder has been a revelation for the league runners-up since joining in the summer.
Shane Farrell is Shels’ only significant doubt having sat out the 4-0 defeat to St Pat’s because of an injury in training last
Wednesday.
Chin
Duff took that heavy defeat on the chin as he knew Sunday night’s final league game of the season had the potential to be a fiery affair.
Not least because of the bad blood between the sides this season.
Shels were fuming in August when a league game at Tolka Park was postponed after the Saints struggled to get home in time from their European game in Bulgaria.
And tensions carried through when they eventually met in Drumcondra, with the Saints manager and St Pat’s coach Alan Quinn sent off after trading verbals.
To secure European football next year, St Pat’s need Derry to beat Shels in this weekend’s final.
Going to Inchicore, Shels knew they were running a suspension tightrope as any player shown a straight red would have missed Irish football’s biggest game of the year.
With the final looming large, Duff successfully dodged that bullet but is sweating on the fitness of star turn Farrell who was left out of the squad for that game.
Farrell was struggling with a groin issue but scan results have uncovered another injury and Duff admits the 22-year-old is in a race against time
“He had a scan and I don’t want to give the terminology” said the former Ireland international. “It’s something different.
“He’s a strange character. He doesn’t know his body, a lot of young fellas don’t.
“Something showed up in the scan and we’ll keep treating him.
“He has X-Factor and will probably get Player of the Year at Shelbourne.
“He’s top class. Last Wednesday he pulled up, and my heart sank. We’ll keep treating him.”
Duff also revealed that he hooked Shels ace Jack Moylan in the firsthalf at Richmond Park
— before he was sent off, and would therefore miss Sunday’s final like Diallo.
Attacker Moylan, who will be key to Shels pursuit of the trophy, and even more so if Farrell is missing, was on the receiving end of a clattering tackle from Barry Cotter.
Yellows
Duff said: “I told (the players) beforehand that any yellows, or trying to influence the ref, and you’ll be coming straight off. Jack knew that.
“For us, we’ll take all the emotion out of this week. We’ll stay calm.
“I said to the lads that the next time they will be hit with emotion will be three minutes to 3pm on Sunday.
“We’ll treat it like a normal week. We’re not going to big it up to be something it’s not.”