Premier Division: Derry City 0 Shelbourne 1 (Wood 85)
Glory for Shelbourne. Three seasons since they were promoted from the First Division, Harry Wood’s goal secured the Drumcondra club’s first League of Ireland title in 18 years.
It all happened in the 85th minute when Wood, on loan from Hull City, followed up Sean Boyd’s deflected free-kick that was parried by Brian Maher, to squeeze a finish past the Derry City goalkeeper’s out-stretched toe.
Pandemonium ensued among the 300 Shelbourne fans lucky enough to gain entry to the Brandywell.
Damien Duff, the legendary Irish winger turned title-winning manager, was swamped by his staff. Wood was booked for tearing off his shirt.
All Shels had to do was hold on.
The mood had been moving in the opposite direction as Shamrock Rovers beat Waterford 2-1 at Tallaght Stadium to force Shels to secure a 17th win of the campaign.
It had been slowly slipping away. Liam Burt, Boyd and Sean Gannon had chances to score, only to miss from tricky, close range angles.
But the final Premier Division table tells no lies. Rovers finish second, falling short by two points of a record fifth successive title.
“You missed the party last night,” said a local official on entry to the Brandywell. “Derry: the best Halloween festival in Europe.”
The party appeared to be happening in Tallaght. But Shelbourne proved their worth, after a mid season stumble, to bank nine points in their last three games.
Ninety minutes before kick-off, Shelbourne players appeared to get a feel for the 4G surface. The only noise inside the ground was the astroturf being power-hosed. Sligo manager John Russell recently added his voice to a chorus of people blaming the astroturf for injuries.
Derry hope Patrick Hoban, the league’s top scorer on 14 goals, can regain fitness for the FAI Cup final against Drogheda United on Sunday week at the Aviva stadium, so Colm Whelan started up front. The former UCD and Ireland under-21 striker is expected to return to Dublin, possibly St Patrick’s Athletic, next season.
Pre-match, there was more talk around tickets for the cup final than the incoming game. Derry ultras even unfurled a “BRING ON THE DROGS” banner despite the fact that three points here would secure them European football in 2025.
That’s impressive loyalty considering Ruaidhrí Higgins’ team have tested their supporters resilience all season, as a first title since 1997 disappeared after recent draws at home to Rovers, Bohemians and Sligo Rovers.
Four minutes into both games, in Tallaght and Derry, Johnny Kenny gave Shamrock Rovers the lead against Waterford.
Derry settled quicker than Shels as Ronan Boyce, unmarked at the back post, made a poor connection with Michael Duffy’s free-kick.
Shelbourne seemed to be gripped by nerves. Duff was up, prowling the sideline, making rapid hand movements and snapping instructions.
Paddy Barrett brought them back to basics, playing a low pass to Boyd who clipped a ball for the overlapping Burt to flash a shot across Maher’s goal.
The contest came to life in fits and spurts. After 36 minutes Paul McMullan cut a pass through the Shels defence for Whelan to draw a save from Conor Kearns.
At half-time Rovers were champions-elect on goal difference and St Patrick’s Athletic had qualified for Europe due to Aiden Keena’s goal against Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds.
St Pat’s and Stephen Kenny held on to finish third in the table.
Shels and Derry were in the gutter, staring at the stars.
Duncan Idehen gifted Shelbourne a chance early in the second-half by failing to mop up possession wide left, which gave Boyd a diagonal line towards Maher’s goal, but he shot straight at the goalkeeper.
Seconds before Danny Mullen’s gentle header hit the Shels crossbar, Rovers went 2-0 ahead from a Dylan Watts goal.
Shels rallied, went for broke, threw the kitchen sink at Derry. Nothing would stick. Even Gannon came forward but Maher was equal to the right back’s effort.
Ali Coote replaced Burt and appeared to give Shels a lifeline when crumbling to ground after contact from Mark Connolly in the Derry box. Referee Paul McLaughlin was not for turning.
Maybe Waterford striker Pádraig Amond, another ex-Rovers man, would save Shels as the 36 year old hit the crossbar after making it 2-1.
Forget Tallaght. Wood delivered. All Shels had to do was hold on.
Duff was furious when seven minutes of injury-time was displayed. But Shels survived, their goal remaining intact and the title secured, as the 300 invaded the pitch.
After the game, Duff was immensely proud of his players and the journey they have been on. “I might have been a barista but I turned that down, here I am managing a Dublin institution, Dublin’s finest and we’re winning the league three years into it. It’s incredible.
“It’s for kids all around Ireland, all around the world because we’ve always been told you’re not good enough, you’ll never win anything. If you put your mind to anything and you work hard and you dedicate your life to it, you can do anything and that’s what my players have done.”
Derry: Maher; Boyce, Connolly, Idehen (McEleney 74), Wisdom; McMullan (Robertson 74), O’Reilly, Diallo (Davenport 74), Duffy; Mullen, Whelan (Patching 65).
Shelbourne: Kearns; Gannon, Barrett, Ledwidge, Wilson; Lunney, Coyle (Caffrey 60); Burt (Coote 60), Martin (Griffin 89), Tulloch (Wood 74); Boyd.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin.
