Damien Duff: 'You wonder why people around Europe and the UK don’t respect the LOI'

The former Ireland star is furious about the rescheduling of Shelbourne's Leinster Senior Cup tie.

Damien Duff, Shelbourne manager gets a message to Gavin Molloy, during the game against Cork City FC. 

Damien Duff has again slammed the running of League of Ireland football – branding the handling of Shelbourne’s Leinster Senior Cup tie against Dundalk as “embarrassing, laughable and unacceptable.” 

The Ireland legend has always been forthright in calling authorities to task and was livid last August when they had a league game called off at short notice.

The FAI chose to reschedule the fixture after difficulties St Patrick’s Athletic experienced in flying back from a Europa Conference League in Sofia.

Duff’s Reds will now have their two-week international break punctuated by travelling to Dundalk on Friday night.

The tie had originally been lined up for February but Dundalk boss Stephen O’Donnell wasn’t in favour of disrupting their pre-season schedule as they were still assembling their squad.

Despite the Leinster Football Association awarding a walkover to Shelbourne, Dundalk overturned the decision on appeal.

It should add extra spice to a rematch of the recent league game at Oriel which was marred by a skirmish at full-time in the tunnel.

“The Leinster Senior Cup had been extinct for three years - now it’s back but I can’t say it’s back with a bang,” fumed the Reds boss, whose side sit fifth following Friday’s 2-0 win at Cork City.

“The way they have handled this tie – we’re through but then we’re not through – is embarrassing.

“Frankly, it’s not good enough. Yet it mirrors what happened last year with the game against St Pat’s.

“If you’re allowed to do it in the League of Ireland, they probably think they’re allowed to do it in the Leinster Senior Cup. It’s totally unacceptable.” 

Duff believes off-field missteps are eroding the positivity generated by the start of the campaign that has seen attendances and overall interest rocket.

“You wonder why people around Europe and the UK don’t respect the League of Ireland but when stuff like this happens, they ask ‘what the hell is going on over there?’,” he opined.

“People would be laughing at this set-up. There’s a lot of people around the league trying to drag the standards up but we still get let down.

“It doesn’t affect my plans now but it certainly did four weeks ago when we were scheduled to play Dundalk on the Tuesday and it was called off the day before.

“That’s absolutely ridiculous but similar to the St Pat’s debacle of last year when it was called off 36 hours before the game.

“I fight with people because I don’t accept it. I want to bring high standards to a lot of things, not just Shelbourne, the league overall, but this mirrors what happened last year.

“I will bring my team to Dundalk, have them prepared and pay the Cup the respect it deserves but this is laughable.”