Red flag flies high again

THEY talk about the glory of the cup but, for Shelbourne, today is as much about redemption as it is about romance.

To understand what it means for them to be taking to the Aviva pitch, just a little under two weeks after the club booked its return to the Premier Division, you have to appreciate how far Shels had to fall before they could rise again.

“It’s a great occasion for the club,” said manager Alan Mathews. “The thing nearly went bang and it was kept alive by the likes of [chairman] Joe Casey and the board of management and the directors here. It’s brilliant to have the club back in the Premier Division, first of all, but to then have a day like this is something else.