Peeking behind the curtain of a Damien Duff pre-season 

“He (Duff) had a pole and was slapping me on the back, saying 'Come on, Beau Barrett. Beau Barrett is a better crawler than ye'.” 

'TEAM BONDING': Shelbourne’s Paddy Barrett. Pic: Nick Elliott

Damien Duff is training his Shelbourne side as a Band of Brothers even if his own one was absent for this year’s military pre-season boot camp.

Since the Ireland centurion arrived at Tolka Park for his first senior managerial post two years, there’s been the annual rite of passage for his players at Gormanston Army Barracks under the tutelage of Captain Gerry Duff.