Duff Ready to Reset: “All Players Available for First Time This Season” | OneFootball

The Champions return to Tolka Park after the mid season break with Shamrock Rovers the visitors in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division (7:45pm – live on Virgin Media Two)

Damien Duff welcomes back all previously injured players and for the first all season has a full squad to select from.

Duff delivered a squad update late on Thursday evening: “Everyone at the club is available, first time this season and honestly probably the first time I’ve said that in four years, but we’re there. You always get some niggles here and there, but it’s looking good, with all senior players in the mix.

“They arrived back in good shape from the break and trained really well all week. The most pleasing thing is that everyone is fit and healthy.

“Probably gives us defensive options for the first time and headaches, at times, the lads had to step out of position with everyone back and fit, but we’re getting back to preferred positions. It’s good to have that defensive headache of having so many options to choose from.”

Reflecting on the summer break Duff said: “It came at the right time, gave everyone a chance to recharge, we’re right back into it now though.

“It’s strange to have the break, especially with five straight away games and two double headers. But, as much as there’s been talk about it, the break actually came at a good time. The lads have had a chance to get fit, rest, and forget about what’s happened before, so we can now focus on attacking the second half of the season.”

While the players put the first half of the 2025 campaign in the rear view mirror Duff is keen to do the same:

“You could drive yourself stir-crazy reflecting on what’s gone before. We’ve learned from every week, we know what’s gone wrong, and we’ve missed some big players, but we’ve never made excuses. All I focus on is what’s ahead that’s the most important thing.”

Games against the Ringsend rivals have been tight and tense affairs in recent years, Duff feels its a rivalry that excites everyone in Irish football:

“The rivalry is definitely there. They know we’re here, they know we’re back. But the most important thing for our guys is not to focus on the table right now or the points gap. We just need to treat it as one isolated game at Tolka Park and approach it with the mindset that we can beat any team at Tolka.

“That first game against Rovers at Tolka summed up our season in many ways, we scored a well worked goal, gave away a gift at the other end, but honestly, it’s in the past now. Everyone, from the staff to the players, is starting the second half of the season with a clean slate. We’ve got everyone back, and we’ve got one of the strongest squads in the country, probably the strongest Shelbourne team we’ve ever had. We’re a serious team when everyone is fit and firing.”

A minute’s silence will be held before the game on Saturday against Athlone Town in memory of Siobhan Clancy, mother of Shelbourne first team player Aoibheann Clancy, who passed away unexpectedly earlier this week. Both senior teams will wear black armbands in memory of Siobhan. Duff extended his sympathies to Aoibheann:

“First and foremost, the women’s team has led the way since I arrived at the club. They’re a group of inspirational young women. It’s really sad news for Aoibheann and her family that her lovely mum, Siobhán, passed away. Myself, the players, and the staff have spoken about it, and we all want to send our condolences. It’s not a women’s team, it’s not a men’s team, the academy team, we’re one team, all together, and we’re all thinking of Aoibheann and her family during this difficult time.”