Whether good or bad, it's bloody deserved

Shelbourne manager Damien Duff said he couldn't be prouder of his players after an "outstanding" performance in their entertaining 0-0 draw away to St Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park.

The reigning champions faced off against the side who led the league at kick-off, just over six months after their memorable showdown at Tolka Park, which ended in a 3-2 victory for St Pat's as the thrilling 2024 title race entered its crucial phase.

St Pat's, installed as one of the favourites early this season, largely dominated the ball in the first half but couldn't find a way through a well-organised Shels rearguard.

However, it was the away side who took charge as the game wore on, with Harry Wood and JJ Lunney influential in midfield, and Pat's keeper Joseph Anang forced into a couple of fine saves to maintain parity for the hosts.

After full-time, Duff exulted in the performance, in particular that of centre-half Lewis Temple.

"Whether it's good, bad or indifferent, it's a deserved point," Duff told RTÉ Sport afterwards.

"As the game wore on, there was only going to be one winner, certainly in the second half.

"I thought it was a really exciting game. You see nil-all, (you think) drab, nothing to it. But I thought it was a really enjoyable game.

"We started the game a bit apprehensive. Defended really well all night. With the ball, I thought we could have played better in the first half.

"But our confidence grew - and maybe grew off the back of defending well, bizarrely.

"We spoke about it at half-time. Make that first pass, that second pass and they'll be open. They were. And I thought we looked very dangerous in the second half.

Evan Caffrey and Anto Breslin compete in the air

"I have to say the Mipo one (save from Anang) took my breath away. It looked incredible. I'll have to see it back, but it looked like an absolutely incredible save. Yeah, fair play to him. He's earned his team a point tonight.

"Whether it's good or bad (the point), it's definitely bloody deserved."

The draw leaves the defending champions in fourth spot, though with the table congested and only eight games played, Duff isn't inclined to pay much attention.

"It's early days. What is it? Fourth. But here, there's only a point or two between the whole league at the minute. It's too early to get transfixed with a league table. The performance? I couldn't be any prouder tonight."

As for the spate of injuries which has sidelined the likes of Sean Gannon, Paddy Barrett, Tyreke Wilson and Daniel Kelly, Duff - who declined to share injury news this week - wasn't interested in discussing that.

"I'm happy. Injuries? Yeah, okay, when they're back, they're back. Let's talk about the fit guys for now. They were outstanding."

St Pat's boss Stephen Kenny said his side were kicking themselves not be ahead at half-time, though he acknowledged that Shelbourne grew into the game strongly in the second half.

"It was very entertaining. The previous corresponding fixture was 3-2 and it could easily have been 3-2 tonight.

"We'd a lot of play in the first half and we're disappointed at half-time not to come in with a lead and were sort of kicking ourselves with that.

"But then Shelbourne had a very strong spell in the second half. We thought Kian Leavy had won it for us. An absolutely brilliant bit of football for that (late chance).

"The first half was really, really high quality. It was just maybe our shooting (let us down). Shels played a back five so they could defend their box well. But sometimes there was space in front of that. We had shots from the edge of the box and just missed the target or there wasn't enough venom in our shooting.

"But we needed Joseph Anang to make a couple of good saves to keep us in it at the other end. It wasn't one-way traffic.

"But overall, I think it's probably fair."

Stephen Kenny: 'That's the nature of the league, it's uber-competitive'

Tonight's results sees Pat's lose top spot in the table, with Kevin Doherty's Drogheda United hitting the summit after a 2-0 win at home to Waterford.

St Pat's, after their scintillating burst of form in the closing stages of last season, had been pegged as one of the favourites, although Kenny stresses that any number of teams are in the shake-up.

"Last September, we were in the bottom three. And then we went and won nine in a row after the European run we had.

"And now some people are saying we are favourites for the league and so forth.

"But you've a lot of strong sides there. Shamrock Rovers obviously won four in a row, Shelbourne are the league champions.

"Derry are very strong. Drogheda are winning it now. You can't look at any team. We're in Cork next week and we'll get a right game down there. That's the nature of the league at the moment, it's uber-competitive really."

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