Damien Duff: Common sense prevailed not to abandon match at Tolka Park

Shelbourne manager Damien Duff insisted common sense prevailed in waiting to restore power at Tolka Park during the season-opening victory over Derry, despite some within the stadium calling for the game to be called off.

Shels began their title defence with an impressive 3-1 win, with all four goals scored in the first half and three of them in a frantic five-minute spell.

However, the main talking point on the stroke of half-time when Tolka Park was plunged into darkness when a blown fuse cut power to the ground.

A 45-minute delay ensued with the game looking in danger of being postponed, but an off-duty ESB technician, assisted by an emergency ESB crew that arrived on site within 15 minutes, ensured the game resumed at 9.35pm.

Speaking to RTÉ Sport after the game, Duff acknowledged a "brilliant, statement win" from his side and insisted the right decision was reached in delaying, rather than postponing, the fixture.

"That's life," he said. "Living out where I do in Wicklow, my electricity goes once a week. As we did tonight, it’s about staying calm when it does go out.

"It’s like that Clint Eastwood film 'The Longest Day’. I think everyone felt like that by the end. You could feel everyone’s energy sapping out of the ground.

"I know certain people within Tolka Park wanted the game off, literally the minute the lights went out, but I think common sense prevailed.

"There were thousands of people here, who made a lot of sacrifices and spent a lot of money, so I’m glad the league made the correct decision to wait and be calm and we got it back on track."

His Derry counterpart, Tiernan Lynch, saw his opening game in charge end in an away defeat and reflected differently on the floodlight failure.

"You felt it went on a little bit