Shels are one win away from the title after overcoming some nervous moments in their win over Drogheda United last night. They travel to face a deflated Derry City in their concluding fixture next Friday, a game they will need to win if holders Shamrock Rovers defeat Dundalk tomorrow and do the business against Waterford in their Tallaght finale.
However, Shels will be champions if the Hoops drop points in either of those fixtures, which means they will be spending tomorrow evening watching events from Oriel Park.
Duff makes no apologies for adopting a Shelbourne versus the rest of the world mentality within his group, although he conceded there will be fans of LOI rivals that would be equally appalled by the idea of five-in-a-row for Stephen Bradley’s Hoops.
“Who do you hate more?” was Duff’s verdict on the feelings of other clubs.
“Do people not like us still within the league? Absolutely.
“It’s us against the world – I still think it’s very much there, especially in the League of Ireland. But I said to my wife today that anyone and everyone is stopping me. I’m out running 5k up around the mountains of Delgany and I met a woman on crutches and she stopped me for a chat, she’s from Yorkshire and she’s desperate for us to win the league.
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“Outside the league, there is an amazing will for us to get over the line. If I walk down Grafton St tomorrow, a lot of people want us to do well. It’s us against the world within the league but outside, there’s a lot of energy behind it, call it what you want.”
Duff is hoping Dundalk will show plenty of energy against Rovers, and he used his post-match interviews after Shelbourne’s second successive win to speak of how the dressing room of the already relegated side should be affronted by assumptions they might be swatted aside easily.
“I will watch it,” he continued, “I couldn’t go for a run. Even if I went for a run, I’d be checking the apps on the phone. Here, it’s fascinating. I watched Derry against Bohemians and Sligo Rovers (draws that proved costly for Ruaidhri Higgins’ side) So yeah, I’ll watch it.
“A lot of people have written Dundalk off but I think people forget it is a very proud footballing town. It’s a very proud footballing club, there’s a very proud manager up there (Jon Daly) and there are footballing greats in the squad. I think it is slightly disrespectful that they have been written off.”
Meanwhile, the Shels boss paid tribute to striker Sean Boyd, who bagged his third goal in the space of two games, a reward for his comeback in another season curtailed by injury.
“My thing always with Sean is prodding and prodding and prodding him. It’s how to prod him,” said Duff, who had also previously been vocal about the front man’s disciplinary difficulties and feels the best way to get results from the 26-year-old is to stay on his case.
“Does he get sick of it? Yeah. As Joey (O’Brien – assistant) always says, you keep kicking the dog, they stop running for the stick. We say that a lot about Boydy, so it’s a fine balance with him, but tonight he was on it.
“He needs to play with an edge. It’s like Wayne Rooney. That’s what I compare it to. If Sean doesn’t play with an edge he’s nothing. If I don’t have an edge I’m nothing, I might as well not come in every day. He had that edge again tonight. I’m still trying to prod him anyway. The stats – two goals last week, a goal and an assist tonight – it’s absolutely elite.”
