Damien Duff refuses to back down as handshake row intensifies

May 7, 2025

Shelbourne manager Damien Duff is not backing down in his verbal feud with Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley as their handshake row intensifies.

Duff suggested the reason he didn’t shake Bradley’s hand following the team’s dramatic 2-2 draw last month was because he “didn’t deserve respect.”

The personal rivalry has been brewing since last season, with Duff’s side pipping Shamrock Rovers to the league title on the final day and ending their four-year dominance of the Irish Premier Division.

Ahead of Monday’s 2-0 victory over Sligo Rovers, Bradley called out Duff in his programme notes. Referring to the former Chelsea midfielder immediately heading down the tunnel, he wrote: “I wasn’t happy. To be honest, I don’t think it’s good enough.

“I said it to Shelbourne’s backroom staff, and to be fair to them, Joey O’Brien and Dave McAllister and the others, they did what you’re supposed to do and waited around to shake hands.

“I think it’s such a lack of respect to do that, whether you win, lose or draw. We were winning 2-0 against Bohs recently and ended up losing 3-2 with the last kick of the game. You show the opposition manager respect at the end and shake hands. So I think it’s really poor to be honest.”

Not eager for Bradley to have the last word, Duff was blunt in his response as to why he decided against shaking his hand. Speaking after a 1-0 defeat to Waterford, he said: “I think since Stephen got invited down to the Dáil, he seems to think he can comment on everything at the minute.

“I didn’t shake his hand after the game, I didn’t shake any of the staff’s hands after the game because I didn’t think they deserved it.

“I wasn’t even going to shake their hands before the game because there was a lack of respect in how he spoke about me before the game.

“It was a lack of respect, criticising my character. That’s the way I took it.

“But the game was nearly two weeks ago so if he’s still going on about it, hmm, that’s all I have to say really. All I do is concentrate on Shelbourne here.”

Ending their 18-year wait for a league title last season, Shelbourne have struggled in their title defence and currently sit seventh. Shamrock Rovers are second, a point behind Drogheda United ahead of their showdown on Friday night.

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