President’s Cup: Shelbourne v Drogheda United, Tolka Park, Friday, 7.45pm
Out of a stormy winter, summer football reappears as Premier Division champions Shelbourne welcome Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D Higgins and the FAI Cup champions Drogheda United to Tolka Park.
Damien Duff knows how to defend a league title from his Chelsea days. Entering season four as Shels manager, he refuses to consider the 11th edition of the President’s Cup as mere preamble to the 2025 campaign.
“No matter how hard you work, you are always nervous and wondering how far you are down the line,” said Duff. “Players can look good but you do not know until the first game. And I am classing Drogheda as the first game.”
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Duff rarely passes an opportunity to turn media interviews into a motivational tool. Sure enough, he fired a warning at unnamed Shelbourne players who failed to meet preseason standards.
“There are a couple of players missing out with ridiculous injuries,” he revealed, “outside of that we are fine”.
Ridiculous? “You can ask them when you meet them. Just a couple of lads with niggles they have not got at the club, they got in their off season.
“Like I keep telling all the players, it’s fine, next man up. Especially the year that is in it, don’t get left behind because if you are any way off at Shelbourne Football Club now, you will get left behind.”
Hang on, off-season injuries, were lads playing five-and-side? “No, no. More ridiculous than that. You need to be on it now. You might have got away with a few years ago. If you don’t bring quality, intensity and a certain work rate you’ll get left behind. We are aiming for the stars again.”
[ Mason Melia smashes LOI transfer record to join Tottenham from St Pat’sOpens in new window ]
Shelbourne made two eye-catching signings in January: Ellis Chapman, Sligo Rovers’ outstanding midfielder last year, and Mipo Odubeko, a Dublin-born teenage star for Manchester City, Manchester United and West Ham before an inactive season at Fleetwood Town brought the 22-year-old to Drumcondra.
“From what I’ve seen so far, [Odubeko] could be a big, big player,” said Duff. “But like I said, you don’t know about the team, the individuals, the squad until we get up and running.
“There is silverware at stake, I heard it called the Super Cup, that sounds a bit sexier. But it is absolutely not a friendly.”
Under the ownership of the US-based Trivela Group and having earned European football in 2025 by winning the cup, Drogheda manager Kevin Doherty is capable of spoiling the champions Tolka homecoming despite injuries to Douglas James-Taylor and Elicha Ahui.
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