Soccer

Bohs v Shels: Incident in Damien Duff’s office raises temperature of Dublin derby

FAI peace talks end war of words between Shamrock Rovers and RTÉ over coverage

Alan Reynolds, then of Waterford United but now of Bohemians, shakes hands with Shelbourne head coach Damien Duff after a match in February. The pair have met since, and will meet again on Friday. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho
Alan Reynolds, then of Waterford United but now of Bohemians, shakes hands with Shelbourne head coach Damien Duff after a match in February. The pair have met since, and will meet again on Friday. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho
Gavin Cummiskey
Thu Sept 05 2024 - 13:31
Bohemians v Shelbourne, Dalymount Park, Friday, 7.45pm – Live on LOITV

An incident between Bohemians manager Alan Reynolds and Shelbourne manager Damien Duff, in Duff’s office at Tolka Park before the north Dublin derby last month, has raised the temperature in advance of Friday night’s meeting at Dalymount Park.

Reynolds issue with Duff remains off the record but the former FAI coaches have not resolved their differences, although Reynolds downplayed the row after defeating Shamrock Rovers last Sunday morning.

“I’ve been in enough scrapes in my time,” he said. “You have words over something that happens but move on. If it’s a big deal to [Duff], so be it, but it is not to me. So nothing happened.

“Damien has done some job, he is great for the league. Top class. We had a disagreement and spoke about it.”

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Reynolds added with a broad smile: “Who’d win?”

On the pitch, Shels have an enormous opportunity to go six points clear of Derry City at the top of the Premier Division by beating Bohs for a second time in four fixtures this season.

Bohemians also beat Shelbourne once and the August 23rd game ended 1-1.

Reynolds needs to keep Bohs seven points clear of a relegation play-off while ensuring that UCD are accounted for in the FAI Cup quarter-final on September 13th, as that is the club’s only route into Europe in 2025.

It is possible that Bohs and Shels could meet for a fifth time this year, in the cup final at the Aviva Stadium on November 10th. Duff’s squad can reach the semi-final by overcoming Derry at the Brandywell on Saturday, September 14th, a game that will be broadcast live on RTÉ2.

Another war of words, between Rovers and RTÉ, has ended after the FAI brokered a meeting between the club and national broadcaster. The defending league champions threatened to block television cameras from entering Tallaght stadium in response to RTÉ not providing live coverage of their qualification run to the Uefa Conference League.

Premier Sports hold the exclusive Irish rights to broadcast Rovers’ group games, which include trips to Windsor Park to play Larne on October 24th and to Stamford Bridge to play Chelsea on December 19th.

“Following the meeting between the three parties, we can confirm that progress has been made in regard to having a clearer transparency of the perspectives of each party in relation to broadcast TV coverage of Irish teams in European competitive tournaments and of our domestic league,” read a Rovers statement.

“It was a productive meeting; a professional, informative and respectful sharing of views which allowed all parties understand clearly the realities facing each other.

“The expectation is that, with the strategic input of the FAI, media broadcasters and critically, the professional football clubs, this will result in the continual improvement of TV coverage of Irish football teams across the football season.

“Shamrock Rovers look forward to the broadcast of our next fixture against Sligo Rovers live on RTÉ 2 on the 13th of September from Tallaght Stadium.”

Virgin Media have also confirmed live coverage of Rovers versus Bohs, in Tallaght on September 23rd, and Shels versus Sligo Rovers on September 27th at Tolka Park.

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey is The Irish Times' Soccer Correspondent