DAMIEN DUFF had words with Shamrock Rovers’ boss Stephen Bradley on the pitch as he accused the Hoops of not winning with class.
Duff’s Shelbourne lost 2-1 to the Hoops at Tolka Park that leaves them 12 points behind the league leaders.
And the Ireland legend stressed he has no complaints with the result.
But as Bradley was about to begin a radio interview, Duff approached him and quietly spoke to him before walking away and turning back to shout “zero class.”
It is understood that it followed a conversation out of sight under the stand.
Duff said: “I don’t need to speak about what’s gone on upstairs. It’s not a disagreement, I’m absolutely right.
“I think there’s a way to win, with respect, a humility and class. I’ve done that since I was a boy and I’m not sure they’ve done that tonight, that’s all I’d say.”
Duff was asked if the songs being played in the Shamrock Rovers dressing room as they celebrated was an issue.
He responded: “Amongst other things, but like I said I don’t need to get into it. A lack of respect has been pointed at me, it’s bizarre carry-on.
“I’ve played all around the world, coached in some amazing places and now manage in an amazing place.
“And I’m built on hard work, a bit of quality I’d like to think but a real respect, humility and I’d like to think a touch of class and that’s how you should win and I don’t think they’ve done that tonight.
“And I don’t think they regularly do it either, but that’s not trying to cloud over headlines.
“We’ve lost a Dublin derby tonight, we’ve lost ground and I’m not looking at carry on upstairs, all I’m looking at is my team, my performances, me players.”
Duff’s reference to being accused of disrespect was an incident earlier this season when Bradley made that comment after Duff refused to shake his hand after the 2-2 draw in April.
It appeared that has been put in the rearview mirror by both managers last night with handshakes both before and after the game.
But Bradley revealed that was not pre-planned as the pair have not spoken since the April meeting, while also saying he could not speak about Duff’s comments on the pitch.
He said: “I’m not sure, he’s obviously frustrated, annoyed they’ve lost the game, I understand that.
“That’s not for me to talk about. We’ve come here, we played well, we won the game, that was our aim.
“It was about moving on, getting ready for this game, to come and win it. That was all through, all our aim, all my thought.
“I think the players tonight were different class, they controlled the game from start to finish, Shels had little spells here or there, but for the majority we were excellent.
“I think it’s a Dublin derby and we’ve come and really dominated the game from start to finish.
“They’re a good team, good players, and they’re going to have little spells, five minutes here or there, but in the main, I thought the players were excellent, in every aspect.”
Duff largely agreed as he admitted his team got what they deserved.
He added: “I think the goals that we’ve given away, which has been a constant throughout the season, I can’t complain.
“There is one standout tonight, maybe they played with a real personality and showed their quality and think we only did it in fits and bursts.”
HIGHS AND LOWS
The Hoops won out as recent Ireland call-up Josh Honohan scored the winner on 84 minutes after earlier putting through his own net.
Bradley added: “Sometimes mistakes happen but it shows how much he has grown in the last 18 months, we’ve really worked on him off the pitch and on the pitch.
“When little things go against him, he just settled, and he was fine. You could see, he turned around after it happened and looked at you, he’d reset and was ready to go. He got his rewards.”
Honohan also suffered cramp in the immediate aftermath of his goal and had to be replaced, but it was a big win that means they have a six-point lead at the top of the table.
It also opened a 12-point lead over defending champions Shelbourne, but boss Duff said that the league table is not his concern now.
He said: “Here, challenges, title defences … life is over when you’re 6-foot under so it’s innate in me, I never give it.
“But I think you can get transfixed with the 12 points just like the 9 points before the game.
“I think where we are at as a team, we just need to forget about the league table for the moment which sounds bizarre and attack each game and put some wins on the board.”
