Preview: Electric atmosphere expected as Waterford host Shelbourne for place in FAI Cup final

Damien Duff feels right at home at Shelbourne, Brendan Clarke is "all in"; things seem to be happening by the banks of the Tolka after a tough year back in the top tier of Irish football.

The famous Dublin club returned to the Premier Division in style, securing the First Division title with six points to spare, however, it was all change in the close season as Duff was named manager ahead of the new campaign.

An Irish legend on the pitch, with a stellar career behind him for both club and country, Duff quickly made his name as an excellent coach, working from schoolboy level at the Shamrock Rovers academy, right up to the highest level with Celtic and Stephen Kenny's Republic of Ireland.

The Shelbourne job was his first chance to show if he could make that step up to head coach and despite a sticky start, the former Chelsea star now appears to have found his feet at his new club and is raising standards throughout.

Securing the status as a Premier Division club was not without its difficulties this season, however, Duff’s side avoided getting embroiled in the relegation battle alongside UCD and Finn Harps, and now with four games to go in the campaign, the Reds are well clear and mathematically secure in the top flight for another season.

And the reward for Duff and his players as the season starts to wind down, is finding themselves one win away from a place in the FAI Cup as they travel to Waterford to contest the semis.

"His remit was to keep us in the division for next year," said goalkeeper Brendan Clarke, speaking to RTE Sport ahead of Sunday’s clash at the RSC.

"We have done that with a few games to spare which is satisfying. ...One thing we did want at the start of the year was a cup run. Someone has to win it, why