“No Time to Switch Off” – Duff Warns Against Late Lapses | OneFootball

The Reds face their second successive Dublin Derby tomorrow night as they make the short trip to Dalymount to take on Bohemians. (7:45pm KO // Live on Virgin Media)

Duff delivered a squad update on Thursday evening, telling ShelbourneFC.ie: “We had a good training week. Really focused, with great energy around the group. The injury situation is starting to clear. We’ve had Tyreke Wilson and Daniel Kelly back in recent weeks, and we’re hoping to welcome back some of the other lads over the next couple of games.”

The Reds boss will serve a one-game suspension tomorrow. He has full faith in the staff on the sideline at Dalymount: “No, it’s fine. As much as I’m the manager of the club, the work is done during the week. Matchday is just about adapting to whatever happens in the game. Myself and the staff are absolutely aligned in our thinking. What I see, they see. What I’d say, they’d say. There’s absolutely no loss there. I truly believe we have the best staff in the country.”

The Reds defeated Bohs 1-0 in the previous meeting earlier this season. Duff was keen to stress the importance of their strong record in Dublin derbies this season: “It puts you right there at the business end. Last year’s form has somewhat carried into this season in the Dublin derbies. Last week was really pleasing. We found a way to grind it out without being at our absolute best. That’s always a sign of a top team, the sign of champions. We’ve backed that up with a brilliant week of training. We’re all looking forward to the game.”

The Gypsies are in a fine run of form, where late goals have been crucial to their climb up the table. While Shels benefitted from a stoppage time winner last week at Tolka: Duff feels they need to manage the mindset of those goals as much as the on-pitch side and has warned against late lapses: “Something we referenced and showed in the meeting today. It’s something we will be conscious of, the late goals. Of course the players are tired, that’s obvious, but I think it’s more on the mental side. Being mentally tired. Not switching off in the last 10, 15, 20 minutes — they need to be treated and respected the same as the first 10 or 15. They’ve had some incredible wins in the last month or so, five of them with late winners.”

The Reds have a busy weekend, with Friday’s game followed quickly on Monday by the visit of Drogheda United to Tolka Park:

“Not looking that far ahead. Is it the biggest game? You could have said that rolling into the Pat’s game, or Bohs at home a few weeks back — that was the biggest until then. They’re all getting bigger and bigger. As the season ramps up, and even now well before the business end, every game starts to feel bigger. That’s where we want to be. It makes you feel alive.”