DAMIEN DUFF reckons Shelbourne have the length and quality to keep their title charge up.
Shels moved six points clear at the top of the table– with Shamrock Rovers a further three adrift – after claiming an away win in this derby for the first time in 19 years.
Having assisted their opening goal in their victory over the Hoops in Tolka Park in February, keeper Conor Kearns delivered the ball which saw them win a penalty to set them on their way in Tallaght last night.
And Duff said: “We use Conor a lot. In this day and age, people are fascinated with short build up and short passes, as we are in open play.
“But Conor’s big foot, the length of it, is an absolute weapon so we always set up to play long as well and if I was an attacking player I’d be looking to penetrate off it.
“I think the lads know his length by now but it still catches opposition defences off guard. It’s not a surprise if we penetrate off a Conor Kearns goalkick.”
But opposite number Stephen Bradley insisted his side were undone by an individual error by Josh Honohan – who failed to head clear which led to Roberto Lopes upending Matty Smith – rather than being unaware of the threat.
Bradley said: “I think everyone in the league knows about it. I think Waterford and Shels do it quite regularly, big kicks. The one in Tolka, we switched off.
“Here, we were in really good positions. Look, Josh has been outstanding for us since he came in, you know what I think of him, but that’s a basic error.
“He just has to head the ball. He’ll learn from that and he needs to learn from it to make him better, but it’s a basic error. We’re in a good position, so just head the ball.”
And he pointed how Rovers were again the architects of their own downfall for the second goal too, having been unsettled by injuries to Daniel Cleary, Honohan and Trevor Clarke.
Markus Poom squandered possession before Lopes again fouled Smith, resulting in his dismissal.
He said: “I think the first 30 was really good and we controlled the game. We made a basic error of not heading the ball for the penalty, then the game became stop-start with the injuries and substitutions.
“We spoke at half-time about being really tidy when we’re in possession and Markus basically puts them in on goal with the sloppy pass and they get another penalty.
“When we went down to 10 men I thought we were excellent and controlled the game, created chances, but you can’t give up the goals we gave up and think you can win them type of games, you can’t do that.”
And, clearly, Shels are a force to be reckoned with Duff reiterating he was demanding a title challenge this season before a ball was kicked.
He said: “Has a title challenge been mentioned? Of course.
“I’ve no shame in saying that on the first day of pre-season in our first meeting I told them, it’s not acceptable if we don’t make a title challenge this year. Whether I was delusional or not, it was said, the seed was planted on the first day.
“To do something and be something, you must think like that. I’m a big thinker. It’s the Buddha who said, isn’t it? I don’t know his proper name but what you think you become.
“Whatever you think, and you work hard enough at it and believe in it, there’s a good chance of it coming off.”