'It's us against the world' - Duff hails Shelbourne's fight

Damien Duff saluted his Shelbourne team's resolve after they came through an ill-tempered UEFA Conference League clash in Gibraltar against St Joseph's on Thursday evening.

Sam Bone's goal earned the Reds a 1-1 draw - and a 3-2 aggregate victory - in the first qualifying round second leg at Europa Point Stadium.

The SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division table-toppers will next face Swiss side FC Zurich, though they will be without Sean Gannon, who was shown a straight red card after a melee in injury-time. That incident angered Duff, who felt his player was hard done by.

Nonetheless, the 45-year-old took great pride in how his side acquitted themselves to progress in a continental competition for the first time since 2006.

"I've been mad on Gibraltar history for the last two, three days," he said.

"I believe there's been 14 wars, 14 battles, 14 seiges whatever they're called, and I told the guys, this could well be the 15th. It ended up being that, and we came out on top.

"They just know how to play the conditions. Win, lose or draw we were never going to use that as an excuse but stifling heat, really tricky pitch, dry, everything, like I said.

"They know how to play it, and we just found a way. We had the luck of the Irish, definitely at times in the first half and maybe near the second, but I think we had chances as well.

"People see Gibraltar... and they just think of the football here and that it'll be easy. It's not easy. I've never seen an easy game here.

"It's an absolutely incredible night for the lcub, the players and the fans. It's a special night for them and I'm very pleased for them."

Commenting on the incident that saw Gannon get his marching orders, the manager said: "As I always say... it's us against maybe the