Damien Duff feels Friday’s meeting with Bohemians could be significant as Shelbourne’s title bid lurches into single digit games left. Their winless three-game streak in the league is the sort of lull they’ve recovered from throughout the season to stay at the summit, two points ahead of Derry with a game in hand. That’s against Bohemians, whom they host first before an expanded capacity of 4,830 at Tolka Park on a night when Derry travel to Waterford.
Alan Reynolds was in the honeymoon stage of his Gypsies tenure when they prevailed 2-1 at Tolka in April, a period since punctured by a wretched haul of four points from the last 36 available. They’re now just four points off the relegation playoff spot currently occupied by Dundalk. Victory is vital to both sides, for contrasting reasons.
“Tomorrow night could be another significant moment in our season,” declared Shels manager Duff. “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 (against Derry). “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. “It’s crucial that we don’t get wrapped up in the occasion of it and simply focus on playing the game.
” Before that Bohs 2-1 win four months ago, Shels claimed a 2-0 success at Dalymount – neither result relevant, in the eyes of Duff. “We didn’t spend too much time on those games,” he noted. “We have played really well, even in the game we lost, but gave away two poor goals,” he noted.
“Bohs have 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. “The Dublin Derby, we know there will be an edge.
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.” “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 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.” Reynolds, already facing pressure from Bohs fans, accepts that improvement is essential from scraping past Kerry on penalties in Sunday’s FAI Cup tie. “As a group we have spoken at length about what we need to do to get back to where we want to be and we are working extremely hard to make things right,” said the Waterfordman.
“We all understand the criticism we have received and have taken it on board. We have talented players but they are hurting, so this is a test of our resolve now. And, as a group, we all have to dig deep.
“For me, the important thing for us now as a group and as a club now is how we react. We have to react well and fast. “We have three big Dublin derbies in the league over the next three weeks, and then a FAI Cup quarter-final.
We don’t have the luxury of looking ahead to that because we need to get points on the board.” Waterford have the incentive of moving within three points of Derry by overcoming the Candystripes at home but will be missing midfielder Niall O'Keeffe and goalkeeper Kacper Skwierzcynski through injury and illness respectively..
