Month: May 2024

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The Reds are back at Tolka Park for the first time since its future was secured with the passing of Dublin City Council’s motion to grant Shelbourne FC a 250 year lease for the ground.

Waterford FC are the visitors for the League of Ireland Premier Division clash on Friday night, with the action underway from 7:45pm.

Damien Duff’s side will be looking to get back to winning ways after a draw with Drogheda United a week ago at home. 

It’ll be a busy few days for Shels, who will have a trip to Richmond Park to face St Pats on Monday to look forward to:

Duff delivered an injury update to ShelbourneFC.ie after training on Thursday and said: “Shane Griffin is back on the pitch but not available for selection. The good news is we have a full squad to choose from, there are no other injuries to report. The Friday-Monday is where you can earn valuable points. 6 points is massive in this league, it’s hard done. Having a fit squad and a healthy squad is brilliant news and the perfect way to go into two games in 3 days.

Reflecting on the draw with Drogheda last Friday Duff felt on a different night they could’ve left Tolka Park with all three points:

“We as staff pick the bones of every game and bring that into our sessions then for the following week. You could argue we’ve never dominated Drogheda like that before. With 75% possession and enough goal chances to win three games, we just didn’t finish them. It shows how far we’ve come. Yes there’s positives yet we still aren’t satisfied. 

What was missing from Friday’s performance? “It’s all about energy, energy, energy. You could look at the recent performances and say we’re playing well for the most part, maybe even better at times than during the six-game winning run early in the season. What gets me fired up is when we’re flat. We dominated the game against Derry away on the Monday, the same against Drogs, and created chances. But the flatness last Friday at times, I can’t get my head around. I’ve been drilling it all week with the staff and players, energy, energy, energy. We can’t afford to go into games flat. I’ve said it about the league; you won’t get a positive result if you don’t come into games with the right mentality, showing hunger, desire, application and work rate and just all energy for 100 minutes plus. That’s what we need to bring tomorrow.”

Duff sprung changes from the bench that made an impact and he knows ahead of a tight Friday-Monday turnaround the squad depth is going to be vital:

“The big thing I want to see tomorrow is us not wasting any minutes, I pulled the lads over after 15 minutes of the game last week and that was my message to them.

“Look it’s on us, the staff; we’re responsible as well. How can we get them going if it’s needed? It’s collective; we’re all in this together. I think there’s a lot of teams in the same boat in this league. Playing well, but dropping points, that’s the nature of this season.

“Our pre match meeting this week, that was the main message, all these games are fine margins. In round one, we came out on the right side of games, winning; this round, we’re getting more draws. It’s not down to luck; you make your own luck. It’s about how much hunger, desire, quality, and how much you want to win, that’s how you come out on top in games like this, it’s all about those fine margins. Luck has nothing to do with that.”

Tomorrow’s opponents Waterford FC have adapted well to life in the Premier Division and approach this with three impressive wins on the spin. Duff feels Keith Long’s side have started strongly and have brought a lot to the league:

“They are in an awful better shape than when we came up in 2022, full credit to them they have proper quality top-end of the pitch and some real X-factor in attack, people that are game-changers, and we have to be aware of them and how dangerous they will be.

“Really good results and performances from Waterford, and the bit that jumps out is like I said at the top end, so dangerous, nearly all the teams in the country have had a very tough time with them. Looking at them closely over the last two weeks, the tight games, they’re coming out on the right side and that’s down to their work, hunger, desire and the quality they have, it’s nothing to do with luck.”

It was a monumental week for the club off the pitch as DCC councillors voted to grant Shelbourne FC a 250 year lease for Tolka Park. Duff shared his delight in the news: 

“Over the moon for the club; we were in training when we heard it. Always hoped it would happen; that common sense would prevail. This pace is so special, Tolka Park, like Shelbourne, is a Dublin institution. It’s where Shels belong, so much history there; it’s part of our identity. And we plan on adding to that, making our own history here”.

Tickets

Tickets for the Reds upcoming clash are available here: bit.ly/sfc1895

TV

Watch all the action on LOITV, coverage begins from 7:30pm with kick off at 7:45pm. Commentary from Declan Drake and former Shelbourne manager Ian Morris.

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As communicated last week through the club’s official podcast, The 1895 Podcast, Shelbourne FC is undertaking a number of changes to the away ticketing process.

These include:

  1. Enhanced engagement with host clubs.
  2. Clear and timely communication with our fans.
  3. The assignment of additional club personal to assist with ticketing.

Given that we depend on the cooperation of the home clubs, these changes will take a number of weeks to come into effect.

When the changes are implemented, we envisage announcing ticketing details of all away games a minimum of two weeks in advance of the fixture.

Season ticket holders will continue to receive priority access to tickets to away games. Before they go on general sale.

To ensure the priority sale of tickets to season ticket holders, we will be requesting that the home club put in place a barcode block that will make it a requirement to use your season ticket number to check out when purchasing an away ticket.

We will also be requesting that the home club use a unique and hidden URL for each fixture. These two changes will ensure season ticket holder secure priority access to tickets. Following the priority sale window for season ticket holders, which will last 24 hours on each occasion. Any remaining tickets will be offered on general sale, communicated via the club’s website and social media channels.

The club are in the final stages of development on a new website, which is launching imminently, this will have a section dedicated to away ticketing, with information on how each club’s system works (eg: Waterford FC require you to have an account set up), the timeline for season ticket sales, and general sale, and any other relevant information to supporters.

As noted, a number of these changes will require the cooperation of the home club and in our communication to fans we will clearly outline if the home club is amenable to implement our requests.

In the meantime, the existing process will be used for our away games versus St. Patrick’s Athletic (May 20th) and Shamrock Rovers (May 24th), at which stage we envisage the new process being fully activated.

In the absence of a centralised ticketing platform for the league, we relay on club’s to work together to do this, we hope these changes will significantly improve the away ticketing experience for our fans.

Once again, thank you to all fans for the feedback.

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Shelbourne Football Club is delighted that Dublin City Council has voted in favour of granting the club a 250-year lease for Tolka Park. This decision marks a significant milestone in our club’s history and secures the future of our home for generations to come.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the executive and the councillors of Dublin City Council for their support and recognition of the importance of Tolka Park to Shelbourne FC, the local community and Irish football as a whole. This long-term lease provides us with the stability and foundation needed to continue to build Shelbourne FC on and off the pitch. Our commitment as part of the agreement to investment in community based full time roles underscore the club’s ambition to further grassroots football development and community engagement in the Drumcondra area and beyond.

Tolka Park holds a special place in the hearts of our supporters, players, and staff, and we are excited about the opportunities this long term agreement brings for further investment and enhancement of the facilities, details of which will be communicated in due course. Tolka Park is one of Dublin’s most storied sporting venues, all at Shelbourne FC are proud to be entrusted as custodians and to build upon the rich history and heritage of the ground, which this year celebrates its centenary, as we strive for success both on and off the pitch.

We look forward to working closely with Dublin City Council and our community partners to ensure that Tolka Park will be a vibrant hub for football and a source of pride for the entire community for future generations of Dubliners.

This evening’s historic vote will be celebrated by many who have played their part in making it happen. Shelbourne FC extends its gratitude to everyone involved in reaching this crucial juncture, our supporters, staff, shareholders, board members, players, and volunteers. We would also like to place on record our sincere thanks to all those involved in the Save Tolka Park campaign for their immeasurable contribution.

Shelbourne FC and Tolka Park’s fate have been intertwined for many decades and tonight’s decision heralds a new chapter in the 129 year history of our club and one of the city’s most treasured and hallowed sporting arenas. 

ENDS

Darren Cleary 

Shelbourne FC 

Head of Media and Communications

Darren.Cleary@shelbournefc.ie 

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Tolka Park takes centre stage tomorrow night as The Reds go head to head with Drogheda United (7:45pm KO)

Damien Duff’s side will be looking to continue to make it back to back home wins, having defeated St Pats 1-0 in their last game at Tolka.

The Reds faced a tricky trip to Dundalk last Friday, before the long road to Derry on bank holiday Monday. Putting in two strong performances and picking up points in both games.

The Reds boss goes into tomorrow’s game with a full deck to play from: “Everyone is in good shape; Shane Griffin is back to running. We’ll keep monitoring him but great to have him back on the grass.

“Sean Gannon missed Friday, but was back for Monday, a tight turnaround but it’s a massive boost. I was pleased to have him back for Derry because we thought maybe it might’ve been longer and he would’ve missed both games. The fact that everyone is fit is a testament to the players themselves and to Mauro Martins and how well drilled the guys are in and the shape they keep themselves in, and the brilliant work Mauro does.”

The Reds go into Friday after a massive battle at the top of the table that saw Duff’s side come from behind to take a deserved draw at the Brandywell against Derry. The Shels boss was particularly pleased with the way they played:

“Last-minute goals are always nice, whether it’s a win or a draw. The draw felt very deserved. We’ve won there before when Derry have dominated, and we’ve snatched it. This was a better performance. You could say we potentially deserved more from that game. We kept the ball for so long and were comfortable for large spells. 

“The eyes don’t lie, and stats back it up. It was as good a performance as any away team will put in up there. It’s a big learning point for us, a big factor for players to have more belief. Playing against a big team, massive names and dominating the game.”

“It’s a big point in a top-of-the-table clash. Going away to a top team and dominating is something we haven’t done before but it means nothing if you don’t back it up now on Friday, that’s what we need to do.”

Drogheda bounced back from successive defeats on Monday when they defeated Dundalk in the Louth Derby. Duff knows Shels are in for a massive battles

“They’re mad games, us and Drogheda, they’ve been packed with a lot of drama and we know how tough it can be. I watched the game against Rovers in Tallaght; yeah Rovers pulled away, but whether it’s home or away, it’s a really difficult game against Drogheda. They have a lot of players who know the league better than me, they’ve been around the block. Hard side, full of belief, like every game, it’s a tough battle and we need to be ready for that.”

With a tight turnaround between Friday-Monday Duff paid tribute to how the players adapted to a change in tactics for Monday trip north:

“They know how we coach, and I like to think we give half-decent detail. It’s always a risk when you change something from Friday to Monday; will it work, will it take, it would be nice to have longer. But we know how they work, and we weren’t changing things for fun. We back it up with clips, and there’s buy-in from everyone, staff, players. That’s why it feels like a really good point. As I said though, it’s parked now, we need to back it up at home against Drogheda and take the positives from Monday into tomorrow night.”

The stoppage time goal against Derry marked the 5th time this season Shels have scored in the last 15 minutes of a game, no team has scored more goals in the final 15 minutes in the league this season. Speaking on this, Duff said: “There’s a few things that shows: grit, determination, fitness, belief, and togetherness – they don’t throw in the towel. 

“Games have been tight, just a goal in it. We all know their mentality, honest as the day is long and the lads never give in. That’s our mentality, closing out games, we do that by trying to score goals.

“On Monday, we had a lot of attacking players in that last 15 mins, we finished with 2 strikers, 4 wingers, 3 defenders, and 1 midfielder on the pitch, you always felt we would get one more chance. Credit to Sean Boyd when it came, Will Jarvis with the cross, when the chance came, Boydy took it. Amazing resilience. Testament to this team, they will give everything for the jersey until the very end, every week.”

Tickets

Tickets for the Reds upcoming clash with Drogheda United are available here: bit.ly/sfc1895

TV

Watch all the action on LOITV, coverage begins from 7:30pm with kick off at 7:45pm. Commentary from Richie Baker and Adam Leonard.

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On Monday 13th May, 2024, Dublin City Council will bring forward a motion to the full vote of councillors, regarding the proposal to grant Shelbourne FC a 250-year leasehold for Tolka Park, as agreed by Dublin City Council management and Shelbourne FC. This deal will secure the future of Shelbourne FC and Tolka Park, a place of great sporting and cultural significance not just to our club but to the local area and wider city.

Shelbourne FC are today calling on all councillors to vote YES on the proposal advocating for the preservation and revitalisation of Tolka Park as a vital sports and cultural hub for our local community.

The club extends a huge thank you to everyone involved in reaching this crucial juncture, especially the dedicated volunteers across the club and all those involved in the Save Tolka Park campaign.

Over the last number of years, the board has undertaken an enormous commitment to bring these negotiations to a conclusion. Due to the extremely sensitive nature and the legalities involved, public communication was not always possible. The board would like to put on record its thanks to our supporters, partners, and volunteers, for their patience in this regard.

We take pride in the recent upgrades to Tolka Park, including increased capacity of the Riverside Stand and Ballybough Stand, and the upgrade to our PA system and toilet facilities. Our dedication to investing in Tolka Park reflects our commitment to creating a home for champions – for both our men’s and women’s teams and a range of community initiatives, and the preservation of Tolka Park, a special place that means so much to so many.

By granting Shelbourne FC a long-term leasehold for Tolka Park, councillors will not only support our club, but also enrich the wider sporting and social fabric of Drumcondra and North Dublin as a whole.

The board of Shelbourne FC have been working extensively on refurbishment plans and the associated investment required to elevate Tolka Park to a modern facility, details of which will be announced in due course.

We’d encourage all Shelbourne FC fans and members of the local community to let their local representative know their views on this matter and your preference to grant Shelbourne FC a 250-year leasehold for Tolka Park.

You can contact them by using the tool below, courtesy of the Save Tolka Park campaign: https://action.uplift.ie/campaigns/email-your-councillors-to-save-tolka-park-deal

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The Reds make the trip to Oriel Park to face Dundalk FC in the League of Ireland Premier Division on Friday night. (7:45pm KO)

Damien Duff’s side got back to winning ways last week as they defeated St Patrick’s Athletic 1-0 at Tolka Park. 

The Reds boss delivered an injury update after training on Thursday: “We have a near on full squad to choose from, Shane Griffin is still the only absentee. Paddy Barrett and Shane Farrell are back in after suspension which is great. We’re going to monitor Gav Molloy, he’s been struggling a bit this week, he’s had a stiffness in his neck that we’re keeping an eye on.” 

The Reds recovered from back to back loses with solid performances first against Shamrock Rovers in a 0-0 draw and then the victory over the Saints. Duff is delighted the squad have found their spark:

“It’s been a good week in training; the guys are brilliant, they are generally always on it. Sometimes you can feel something in the air, doesn’t even need to be on a pitch. We went through it in Galway, the seasons are long and hard, there will be highs and lows. The lads have trained really well, was the same last week and that was evident in the performances. Rovers on the Monday, Pats on the Friday, two top performances. We’re all looking to match those levels tomorrow in Dundalk.”

Duff will go head to head with a familiar face in the Dundalk dugout, Noel King has history with the Reds having served as caretake manager for a period in 2002 and then as womens manager from 2021-2023. He took over at Dundalk last week, guiding them to a win over Bohs in his first game in charge. Duff feels they are facing a massive challenge:

“I said to the players this morning, ‘This is the most difficult game we’ve had in months.’ I firmly believe it. It’s always a tough place to go Oriel Park, with a new manager in Noel King and a challenging surface. The new manager has rallied them, their senior players all back in, they all played last Friday, they’re playing with an edge, that made the difference. They wanted it more than Bohs. Fully deserved that win.”

“They have a lot of quality, but their real hunger and desire, along with Noel, Liam’s and Brian’s knowledge of the game and the league, are evident. We’re not reading too much into the table or their position. it doesn’t show the quality they have all over the pitch. It’s a very difficult game for us.”

Gavin Molloy ended April on the shortlist for the Player of the Month award, despite the team having a blip on the pitch Duff is unsurprised to see the defender’s individual talent recognised:

“He’s like a Rolls Royce; he doesn’t announce his presence from the rooftops. He lets his football do the talking. Gav is a joy to work with both on and off the pitch. It’s no surprise he’s up for Player of the Month, his quality and his consistency are there for all to see, I’m never surprised to see him in the Team of the Week.”

Heading into Friday’s game in Dundalk and Monday’s trip to Derry City, Duff says they are approaching it with a good week of prep completed:

“This week, lads put in a lot of work on Monday and Tuesday. Thursday was lighter, just some walkthroughs. Tomorrow’s match day in Dundalk, so Saturday is just recovery. Sunday, we’re back on the pitch, preparing for matchday minus one.

The only real change to routine is that we trained on astro turf all week. It’s a bonus having these two games back to back because it gave us the chance to get accustomed to the astro. It’s a different surface, the Dundalk one is not the same as Derry, but it was important to get a feel for the ball on it and how it moves so we’re ready for these games.”