Damien Duff: ‘A lot of lads aren’t playing to the best of their ability. It’s up to me to find out why’

The Reds slipped to another defeat in Galway on Friday night, although Duff welcomed the 1-1 draw between Derry and Shamrock Rovers that reduced their lead at the top of the table to three points.

He felt that was the ideal result from a Shels perspective, with champions Rovers also dropping points as they tried to mount a late charge.

Shels have won just once in their last seven league games, and the Galway result represented back to back defeats on the road following an FAI Cup reverse in Derry City last Saturday.

It has raised question marks about the staying power of this season's surprise packages who have struggled since the summer break and the departures of key men Gavin Molloy and Will Jarvis to Aberdeen and Hull respectively.

"There's a lot of guys not at their best and effectively that's on me," said Duff, "There's a lot of individuals throughout the team and the squad that ain't playing to the best of their ability. Like I said, it's on me. It's going to affect performances.

"Are we playing at our best level as a team? I don't think so. So it's up to us, or me, to keep figuring out a way.

"With the changes, people leaving maybe, and injuries in the last few months, there's been a lot of changes because we had to make changes, but we'll keep working hard and being positive because to win leagues you have to be at your best and I don't think we are.

The League of Ireland review is here as Dan McDonnell and Seán O'Connor look back on a dramatic night of action at both ends of the table

"We're in the business end of the season and it's a strange position, because there's six games to go and we're trying to find our best team and best formation which doesn't happen too often. You're going for a league and trying to figure out 'what's best here?' but we need to try and figure it out soon.

"Like I said, it's on me. Managing dressing rooms, managing individuals, trying to get the best out of people so it's absolutely on me. We do all we can, I like to think we leave every stone unturned but maybe there is a couple to turn. It's like I said, you go into our dressing room and ask, 'Guys, are you at your best?' I think a lot of them would say no. It's up to myself, primarily just me, to figure out why."

Jimmy Keohane's second minute strike proved the difference, with Duff having no complaints about the outcome. He accepted that Shels were rattled in the early minutes as Galway flew out of the blocks.

"It's everything you warn them about, the long balls, the second balls, they bring a fire and energy, high octane stuff and I thought they shocked us a bit at the start. It's as difficult a place as you're going to come, you're effectively giving them a 1-0 start.

"I thought it did (shock Shels). There was an energy about them that there potentially should have been about us. We didn't play Monday (Galway lost to Rovers), we're a younger squad, we're going for a league. Granted, they're still going for Europe but I did think they had more of that (energy), you can feel it sometimes. All night did we dominate possession? Yeah, but we huffed and puffed. Half chances. Did we really look like scoring? Possibly not.

"I think the draw in Derry is the best you could have hoped for. There's many ways to look at it but, yeah, gun to my head, I think so."

Duff is hoping that the home comforts of Tolka Park might inject a spark back into his side, with four of their next five games taking place on their own turf. They've played just one Friday night league game at Tolka since the end of June on account of Europe and FAI Cup related schedule changes. Sligo Rovers visit Drumcondra next Friday.

"You couldn't have planned it any better, four of the next five in Tolka," said Duff, "I feel like I haven't been in Tolka for an eternity so you'd like to think that helps, it's your pitch, your home, you've got the home fans, your 12th man. You couldn't have planned that any better but you still need to deliver."

The only plus point of the week for Shels was that Dundalk avoided liquidation, a scenario that would have placed Derry City at the top of the table if results were expunged.

Duff acknowledged it was welcome from a Shels perspective, but reiterated his view that Dundalk's escape was more important in the bigger picture of Irish football.

"Of course it's great for Shelbourne that we've kept our four point lead, it's obviously down to three now," said the former Irish international.

"But I thought for the league that if this happens...there's been so many positive news stories, (about how) it's grown and grown, and grown we would have been a laughing stock, the league, as a whole, if it happened. And first and foremost Dundalk is an iconic club, a big club and for them to go out of business would have been the worst."