Former Celtic coach Damien Duff is on the cusp of securing his first league title as a manager with Shelbourne in what has been a gripping League of Ireland season.
Leading the league for nearly the entire season, Shelbourne now faces a final showdown against Derry City. Only a win will secure the title for Duff’s side; a draw would hand the championship to Shamrock Rovers, should they also win their final match.
Shelbourne’s title decider, set to air on RTÉ for Irish fans, highlights Duff’s remarkable transition from Celtic coach to a top-tier manager.
Appointed as a reserve team coach at Celtic in 2019, Duff quickly moved up the ranks under Neil Lennon. As first-team coach, he contributed to Celtic’s domestic dominance, including a ninth straight league title and a fourth consecutive League Cup in the 2019–20 season. Duff left the club in 2020 and, after working with the Irish national side, took the step into management.
For Duff, tonight’s match is a career-defining moment. If he guides Shelbourne to victory, it will mark not only his first league title as a manager but a crowning achievement for a side that has fought relentlessly all season.
A win tonight would see Shamrock Rovers’ dominance come to an end, and Shelbourne win their 14th league title, their first 2006.
