Month: March 2023

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Shelbourne FC are proud to announce an extension of TU Dublin’s support of our Women’s Premier Division Team for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

This strategic partnership will support the team and encourage the growth of women’s football in Ireland at the highest level.

TU Dublin will feature as the front of jersey sponsor of our Women’s Premier Division team, the current league and cup Champions of Ireland, and will also be the back-of-jersey sponsor for our U17 and U19 League of Ireland Womens (LOIW) teams.

Keith McDarby, Commercial Director – Shelbourne FC, said: “We are delighted to continue our ever growing relationship with TU Dublin following the success of last year. They are a great support to our Womens Senior team but not only that, they are very active in our academy to provide opportunities and knowledge to our younger  teams when it comes to third level education. I would like to thank Christy, Niamh and all the team at TU Dublin for their continued support.”

Christy O’Shea, Senior Manager – Student Life at TU Dublin, said: Shelbourne FC’s women division of the club have been trailblazers in Irish women’s football in recent years and we are excited to continue our work with them in growing inclusion within the community, which is central to both of our organisations. We wish the Shelbourne Women’s Premier Division Team the very best for the 2023 season and thank Shelbourne FC for their time in strengthening this partnership. TU Dublin look forward to celebrating further successes on and off the pitch for the upcoming seasons ahead.”

TU Dublin will benefit from extensive digital media collaboration and in-stadium signage for Shelbourne home games at Tolka Park as part of the significant partnership.

The University’s Athlete Support Programme is one of Ireland’s most highly regarded performance programmes and is the third level sporting destination of choice for many aspiring sports performers.

Through TU Dublin’s major infrastructural development plan, the University is currently investing over €500 million in new, state-of-the-art, technology-enabled facilities to enhance the students’ experience.

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The Ringsend Derby takes centre at Tolka Park on Friday night as the Reds play host to League of Ireland champions Shamrock Rovers. 

It’s the second derby in a week for Shels, coming 7 days after the narrow 1-0 win over Bohemian FC.

Head coach Damien Duff says preparations for this week have gone well and confidence within the squad is high:

“Training has been very good, third game in a week. You get no time on the pitch really. It’s all recovery. We haven’t been on the pitch since Monday until this morning’s session. It was our first day back on the pitch, so we’ve been all video this week to get ready for this game.” 

Shane Griffin is not expected to be involved in this week’s game as he continues to rehab a muscular issue. Sean Boyd remains sidelined and is due an operation on his injury.

Duff delivered an update on the shape of his squad ahead of the game, after Matty Smith, Luke Byrne and Shane Farrell started on the bench in Dundalk. Duff told ShelbourneFC.ie: “Luke is managing his knee but here, we never try to be clever for clever sake, if he was able to play on Monday, he would’ve played. 

“He’s working to be right and we’re hopeful he’ll be involved. Matty Smith has been carrying a niggle, he wasn’t involved against Bohs but came on up in Oriel Park. Shane Farrell is fit, he didn’t start on Monday, but there’s competition for places here. Three games in 7 days the team is going to be rotated and we’re going to use our squad. Shane is fit and ready.”

Shels go into the game looking to make it two home wins on the spin, having opened their account at Tolka last Friday. They face a Rovers side looking for their first win of the season. The slow start to the season aside, Duff knows they are facing a formidable foe:

“Top teams go one, two, three games without a win, they become very dangerous. I guess they can feel frustrated and hard done by some of their results so far but listen we can say the same thing. We’ve lost games we deserved to win, and same with Drogheda opening night, we deserved to win. We know that frustration of not getting the results the performances are due.”

With 4 games played the Reds have 4 points, the exact same return as 12 months ago. Duff believes though the squad have come on a lot in that time:

“I hope it’s there for people to see. We’ve had a few hard luck stories which ties in with last year a bit. The main difference is we know there’s a lot more to come. The players are receptive to coaching and hungry for hard work, they’re great guys to work with, and the big thing for us is we’re seeing them making improvements. 

“We’ve started well and strung some decent performances together, but that’s not enough. Now it’s about turning good displays into points on the board.”

“We want to bring a winning mindset to the club, we’re not about finding solace in narrow defeats after a good performance, we won’t be content with competing. 

“We’ll never drop our standards from a staff point of view, this year we’re lucky to have some more senior players in the group with that mindset. They think the exact same. Performances are great and they usually go hand in hand with points. Hasn’t happened for us yet, but we’re confident that will flip. We do have high expectations. Performances have to turn into points. The sob stories are frustrating but you don’t have time to dwell on it with a team of Rovers quality coming to Tolka.

“Bodies will be tired but it’s a great game for us, easy to get up for, you can’t be flat in a Dublin derby against the league champions on your home patch. I can feel that there is a change of mindset. Last year players might have turned up hoping to win a game like this, this year we’re turning up believing we will win the game.”

The sold out signs will be up at Tolka Park and the game is heading for a second successive home sell-out. Duff feels the big game occasion will suit his players and poured praise on Kian Leavy after the youngster rose to the occasion and netted the winner against the Gypsies:

“Really pleased for Kian, listen you can score as many goals as you want at Under 18 and Under 23 but its a different story in mens football playing for points, competitive games. It’s easy for lads to stay in the comfortable surroundings of an academy, the hard choice is coming over here and stepping up and he’s done that.

“I’m pleased for him. Can see him really grow over the past few weeks with us. I thought he did well in Dundalk on Monday. He’s such a technical player with real ability, he has that street footballer in him, as if the ball is stuck to his feet. He’s been great for us and I know we’ll see more from him. It’s particularly pleasing because he’s had to adjust to a position that’s foreign to him. He’s done well.

“Not just Kian, Evan Caffrey has been outstanding as well, same story. Not a natural position, but putting everything into it, every week. That’s what has helped connect the group of players with the people in the stands, I said it last week, they wear the hearts on their sleeves and I think you can see, win, lose or draw. What it means to the players, staff and everyone involved, that’s why fans connect with them.

“We’ve referenced it many times and we’ve made sure players are aware of it, the responsibility they have to this football club, these fans. Shels people live for these Friday nights, and we’re no different. The three biggest nights of my week are Friday, Monday and Friday.

“People have said it to me, hardcore fans, people here for years, they’ve commented on the atmosphere, the electricity at Tolka, the kind of buzz created in the Riverside last Friday has been too rare here over the past 20 odd years. This is such a special place, it’s built for big nights. We want to bring them back every time we play here and I’ve said it before many times, the fans have lifted us, now we’re doing everything to return that feeling to them, make them proud, and give them a reason to rock the place every Friday night.” 

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Shelbourne Head Coach Damien Duff has urged his players to relish the occasion of a big Dublin Derby as Bohemian FC visit Tolka Park tomorrow night. 

It’s the second derby in a week for the Reds, coming 7 days after the narrow 1-0 loss to St Pats on the road. 

Duff though says preparations for this week have gone well and confidence within the squad is high:

“We trained really well this week, with our lads they can hide their excitement well at times, but we know how excited they are, it is all business with them and all the prep is done for Bohs. 

“Regardless of getting one point from two games. I think it mirrors how we finished the season in 2022, a team in good form, decent performances week to week, but not getting the results the performances were due. 

“We should have won the Drogheda game, listen it was the same again then last week if there’s one team that’s going to win it in the end it should’ve been us, we played really well, and that was against a team you could argue will see themselves as among the title challengers, so we can take a lot of positives from the performance, even though we didn’t get the result we deserved.”

Shane Griffin is not expected to be involved in this week’s game as he continues to rehab a muscular issue. Sean Boyd remains sidelined having missed the 1-0 loss to St Patrick’s Athletic a week ago.  

Duff delivered an update on the Shels centre forward, with the manager telling ShelbourneFC.ie: “Sean has suffered a groin injury that will require surgery, he’s away next week to get the operation in London. Sean is going to be a big loss for us. He’s going to be out for awhile.

“Jad Hakiki is still working on his recovery. Shane Griffin is not ready yet, but he’s working hard. Sean like I say is unfortunately going to be out long term”

Shels go into the game looking to record a first home win of the new season, after an opening night stalemate with Drogheda United. Duff though feels the performances to kick off the 2023 campaign have been solid:

“So many positives which we spoke about last Friday but we’ve said it many times before, set piece, individual error, it’s cost us. 

“Now we have to go about cutting them out and being clinical in the final third. That’s what top teams do and that’s what we are striving to become. 

“We’re playing well, and we’re happy with the form. We should be picking up points, we’re not at the moment but I am fully confident that will turn for us. As long as we’re creating chances I’ve no issue, I’ll keep encouraging lads because I have absolute trust in them.”

Gavin Molloy put in another solid display that saw him named in the LOI Team of the Week and in the Irish Independent’s equivalent, while the youngster also caught the eye of former Republic of Ireland skipper Kenny Cunningham, who singled the Dubliner out for praise during an appearance on Off The Ball, official media partner of Shelbourne FC.

Duff feels praise of Molloy is well earned but has urged the versatile midfielder to kick on and build on those fine individual displays:

“Gav would still see himself as a midfielder, as do we on the staff, but he shows the quality he has that he can dip in and dip out and play anywhere. 

“To play wherever he is put and be one of the better players on the pitch, shows real quality. The Important thing for young players like Gav, Jack, Shane, it’s not putting in one or two good performances every few weeks. It’s all about building consistency and a string of performances week to week, home and away.”

A sold-out Tolka Park will await Duff’s players tomorrow and the manager is hopeful that the players rise to the occasion and give the Reds faithful a big performance:

“I say it to the players, it should excite you, big derbies in your home ground, it’s what you live for. The Riverside packed and the noise and colour that come from Shels fans there, it’s a great occasion. Look maybe last year because there was a lot of eyes and scrutiny on the club, some of the younger lads maybe did struggle to cope with that at times.

“They’ve come on so much over the last few months, it won’t faze them now. We’re in a position where a lot of young boys played in a FAI final, we’ve brought some experience in, particularly with Paddy Barrett, he’s been a great addition, I think it’s the kind of game that is made for these lads.

The Gypsies lead the League of Ireland going into the third game of the season. Declan Devine’s side are the only team to take 6 points from their opening games. Assessing the form of this week’s opposition Duff said: “Bohs are a different team to the one we played in the FAI Cup last year. They have an energy and togetherness, last year they didn’t look like they had that. 

“It looks like the signings and new staff has brought them on, they look more unified. We pride ourselves on being a tight dressing room as well so a team with that unity, can be a match for anyone. On top of that they brought in real quality. 

“Keith Buckley knows the league, listen, he’s Bohs through and through. Afolabi is playing well, looks sharp. Dylan Connolly coming back from the UK but he has experience in the League of Ireland. We know they’ve quality from distance, especially off set pieces. Flores and Coote. We need calm heads. No silly fouls. 

“Try to control the emotions but balance that with the edge we want to bring to our games. It can be a war at times probably won’t be pretty on the eye but that’s Dublin Derbies, that’s what they’re about.

Tickets

Tickets for the Reds upcoming clash are sold out.

LOITV

Watch all the action on LOI TV, every Premier Division fixture is available to watch for €7. Commentary from Darren Cleary and Steven Doody

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Friday’s game is now sold out. Home supporters can approach Tolka Park from Richmond Road.

Please do not come to the ground without a ticket as none will be available for sale.

Gates will open at 6:15pm

Away Supporters Info

Entry to Tolka Park will be via Grace Park Road. Bohemian FC supporters must use this route.

Bohemian FC supporters are reminded that they must hold a valid away ticket to gain admittance.

Shelbourne FC have cancelled a number of ticket orders for home sections made by away fans.

Any away fan who is identified with a home ticket outside of the ground will not be permitted entry to the ground.

For the safety and comfort of all spectators Garda and stadium security will proactively monitor the situation to ensure a safe environment for all fans.