DUBLIN (Reuters) - Former Ireland and Chelsea winger Damien Duff led Shelbourne from his native Dublin to their first League of Ireland title in 18 years on Friday, describing the thrilling finale to a dramatic season as the "pinnacle" of his decorated career.
In a race where five of the 10 teams were in contention just two weeks ago, Shamrock Rovers looked like winning a fifth successive title on goal difference when they led their final game and Shelbourne were being held by third-placed Derry City.
However, former Manchester United's academy player Harry Wood tapped in a deflected free kick on 84 minutes to give Shels a 1-0 victory and decide a rollercoaster season that their manager said topped his two English Premier League winner's medals.
"I've openly said over the last few weeks that it would be the pinnacle of my professional career and it absolutely wipes the floor with it," said Duff, who won 100 caps for Ireland and scored in the 2002 World Cup.
"Irish football is in my blood."
The title race has been a boon for a competition that has long lived in the shadow of the English Premier League, which most Irish soccer fans follow far more closely and other major sports rugby and Gaelic games, which draw far bigger crowds.
Duff's star power and entertaining media interviews have added to draw this year. Both of the decisive final day games were shown live simultaneously by national broadcaster RTE.
It also represented a big turnaround for Shelbourne. One of the league's storied team, they dominated Irish football in the early 2000s before falling on hard times and were only promoted to the top division just before Duff took charge in 2021.
Ranked as 25/1 outsiders at the start of the season, they led almost from start to finish before surviving a late wobble to capture their 14th league title.
"There have been some dark times for Shelbourne football club, dark, dark times so I'm so, so happy for them," Duff told RTE.
"If you put your mind to anything, and you work hard and dedicate your life to it, you can do anything you want and that's what my players have done."
(This story has been refiled to say 'promoted,' not 'prompted,' in paragraph 8)
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
