Duff Warns Against Complacency as Champions Aim to Return to Winning Ways | OneFootball

Tolka Park takes centre stage tomorrow night as the League of Ireland Champions play host to Drogheda United (7:45pm KO, live on LOITV)

With over 4,000 tickets sold it’s going to be another big night at Tolka as the Reds look to get back to winning ways after a battling 1-1 draw with Galway United on Monday.

Duff will give Sean Gannon every chance to prove his fitness as the defender picked up a calf knock last week:

“Tyreke Wilson and Daniel Kelly are still out. Ganno and Sam Bone are close; they might make it tomorrow. Ganno had a little knock on his calf but it’s not too bad. Sam’s situation isn’t too concerning either. Ganno nearly made it for Galway and might be available tomorrow. Ray is back after being ill. We know his ability and what he can do, to be fair he might be disappointed with his minutes, maybe a few players in the same boat, but it’s important that when they are given minutes, they take the opportunity. Lewis Temple is the example I give to players, he hasn’t started a game for this club in over a year, and he came in for Galway, one of the most difficult games you can have as a defender. He was excellent, the message, always be focused and always be ready.”

Drogs have enjoyed a good start to the season, like the Reds they’ve taken 8 points from the first 4 games. Duff knows they are a strong side with plenty of talent:

“They’re always a threat, dangerous, and hard to beat. Top-quality players, and people often forget that. They have a top manager. People around this league, in the press, are always very quick to disrespect them and say Drogheda will struggle, they will always prove them wrong. Just 12 weeks ago, they deservedly won the FAI Cup. They’re as tough as they come in this league, just look at their start to the season. We know how good they are but it’s important that we take care of ourselves and be ready.”

The Reds have enjoyed a similar start to the 2024 campaign in terms of results, but Duff feels they are much better positioned than they were this time 12 months ago:

“It has been similar to last year with results, points, goals, what have you, but we look like a different animal this year. I think when the pitches firm up when the better weather comes, the sun out, and nicer conditions, we’ll really see what the players are capable of technically as well. Here listen, whether it’s hail, rain, or snow, every season, winter, spring, summer, we have got better as the season has gone on, and I am confident that is the way it will be this year as well.”

The Reds fought for a hard earned draw with Galway United on Monday night, having lost on both visits to Eamonn Deacy Park last season it was an improvement in fortunes for Duff and his players. The Reds boss also heaped praise on Shels fans who travelled in numbers to the game, on what traditionally is a difficult day to travel:

“The mad thing is that didn’t feel like a Monday, from anyone, players, staff, fans. It felt like a Friday game, with all the allocations sold out, Galway had a big crowd, we packed the away end. It was brilliant from our fans. I was speaking to Clarkey (Brendan Clarke) as we were leaving the stadium, and he had to correct me, telling me it was actually a Monday, I had forgotten, because it genuinely felt like a Friday game. All credit to the fans for coming out in serious numbers, cars, buses, trains whatever, it was brilliant to see. Sometimes, when you love a team, you’re willing to follow them to the ends of the earth, and we see that, from our supporters, rain or shine, home or away, they’re there in huge numbers and it means so much to myself, the staff, and the players really feed off it.”

Duff is hoping for another big turnout at Tolka tomorrow and urged Shels fans to get into the ground early and make their voices heard:

“The atmosphere at Tolka this season has been something else, hard to describe it, but it is big especially for lads coming over from the UK experiencing that for the first time, the likes of James, Mipo, Kerr, even Ellis, last week playing in a Dublin derby, for a true Dublin institution, it’s fabulous for them. Credit to the supporters; they’ve been amazing. We’re all so proud of anyone involved in the club. It’s imperative, both on and off the pitch, that we continue breaking down barriers, pushing the ceiling, and striving to go further.”

Ahead of tomorrow’s game Duff also stressed that they need to be done with gifting goals to teams, having reflected on the goals conceded so far this season:

“Have we been carved open? No. The goals we conceded were three gifts. Even the Derry goal, it’s pure quality from them, but from us, it’s just pure lax. The common message to the lads is simple: don’t ever think you’re alright. Don’t think, ‘Ah, we’ll be grand, they can shoot and Conor will save it.’ Smell danger and cut it out. You can’t switch off, not for a second. There’s so much quality in this league if you take a moment off, you get punished. Cutting out the errors, cutting out that mentality, that’s key and that’s what we will do.”

“We’ve spoken about it. There’s nothing specific you can work on in training for that, it’s a mental shift. I said it to the lads at half-time against Derry: that goal stunk of ‘We’ve gone 1-0 up, we’re grand, they’re no threat.’ If you have that mentality, you get carved open. Drogheda can do that to you, so no gifts, no attitude of, we’re grand here. Look at Brennan, Markey, Farrell, Oluwa, Kane. They’ve got pace out wide, they’ve got quality. If we underestimate them, we’ll cause ourselves problems.”

Tickets

Limited tickets for the Reds’ upcoming clash with Drogheda United are available here. We expect close to a capacity crowd, so secure yours now!

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