'It's what I missed' - Damien Duff welcomes Cup final nerves

Shelbourne manager Damien Duff is urging his Shelbourne players to make a name for themselves in Sunday's Extra.ie FAI Cup final.

Shels brought the curtain down on their return to the top flight on Sunday with a disappointing 4-0 defeat to St Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park that saw the club finish 15 points above the relegation zone in seventh position.

The focus now firmly turns to the Aviva Stadium this weekend where Derry City stand in the way of Shelbourne’s first FAI Cup title in 22 years.

With anticipation growing around Tolka Park, the decorated international, who won League Cups with Blackburn Rovers and Chelsea and was part of a Fulham side that lost a Europa League final in 2010, welcomes the build-up to the big occasion.

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"When you don’t have nerves, or butterflies in your belly, it’s time to jack it in," he told RTÉ Sport. "I’ll absolutely be nervous, probably more as the day goes on Sunday, but it’s the only way I like it.

"It’s what I missed, that focus. The nerves. That’s why I got back involved in the game."

Sadou Diallo will miss the final due to a suspension, while Shane Farrell is in a race to prove his fitness after picking up an injury in training last week.

Duff says that for those involved against Derry, there is only so much he and his coaching team can do for the players.

"The respect they have shown me – a young, new manager – I couldn’t ask any more of them," he said.

"I’ll coach them, give them detail, but at three o’clock Sunday it’s over to them to make a