Damien Duff’s poetry and Shels’ double bid reigniting Aiden O’Brien’s fire after ‘humbling’ free-agent experience

Damien Duff’s men travel to a sold-out Brandywell with the TV cameras set to broadcast this cup clash between the top-of-the-table pair. O’Brien is embracing this new challenge. ​

After being released by Shrewsbury Town at the end of last season, the former Ireland striker took part in the PFA’s pre-season training camp for free agents over the summer, something he admits was a humbling experience.

“It was a real eye-opener, seeing people training next to me that were ex-Premier League players, very high Championship players, international players. I thought, ‘there’s guys like this in the same camp as me, what right does it give me?’,” said O’Brien, ahead of Saturday night’s game, a repeat of the 2022 decider.

“It doesn’t give me a right to be at a club. It kind of humbled me a little bit and gave me a kick up the backside to say, ‘get your head down, work hard and something will come’.”

And something did, as a little over four weeks ago he arrived at Tolka Park on a multi-year deal. With two-time player of the month Will Jarvis returning to Hull City last month and key number nine Seán Boyd sidelined with injury of late, it was a big signing – with Duff hailing O’Brien’s “stone-cold belief” at the time.

“That PFA camp was exactly that, it gave everyone a platform to just get fit, work hard and stay ready. Without that, I’ve got to say, I wouldn’t have hit the ground running at Shelbourne,” said O’Brien, who turns 31 next month.

“Sometimes in your career, you’re going to have ups and downs, and this summer was a real eye-opener, I must say. All I needed to do was be with my family, listen to them and work hard, the rest of it is all background noise.”

Before arriving at Tolka Park, O’Brien had been in contact with Duff about potentially signing for his league leaders, who are currently four points clear of Derry at the top with seven games remaining.

“He called me, gave me a few voice notes and messages, they were nothing like I ever had before, very motivational and just made me think, ‘wow, I want to go to war for this guy’,” said O’Brien.

“That was powerful for me. I was like, ‘where do I sign?’. A feeling came over me that this is what I want to do. It kind of happened quickly and I’m really happy it did.”

Having made more than 400 senior appearances in England, with half of those at Millwall, the London native admits he has never come across a manager quite like Duff; his standards in training, his man-management skills, and even his poetry.

“His intensity, the way he approaches training, the way he approaches analysing games and the opposition, it’s top, top, top-level stuff, it’s nothing I’ve ever had before,” said O’Brien.

“It’s him, Joey [O’Brien, assistant manager] as well and the rest of the staff. His man-management is unbelievable, he understands people have families. I’ve not been managed well in the past and it kind of affects your football on the pitch, so he’s been brilliant.

“He loves his poetry before games, he brings out all these sayings and puts stuff on the board to fire us up. There is always something that gets us going with the gaffer, he always has something up his sleeve. It’s just so refreshing. The boys absolutely love it. If there is a brick wall there, we’ll run through it because we know how much he cares for us and our families.

“In my time in football, there have been some managers similar to what the gaffer is with us, but there’s also [been] the opposite where they don’t really care. If you’re not in the team, they don’t care how your family are doing, you’re just a piece of meat.

“Even though he’s got a massive game to prepare for, he’s always asking how my family are doing. He doesn’t need to, but he does. He knows if my family and I are good, he’ll get the best out of me on the weekend.”

O’Brien has no doubts Duff can go all the way in management.

“The level of detail he and his staff have given is no different to what I’ve seen in the international team, so I don’t see why not. If he keeps doing what he’s doing, the world is his oyster.”

Back in the present, the striker’s focus is on booking a spot in the last four, with Shelbourne last lifting the FAI Cup in 2000. The last six meetings between the Reds and the Candystripes have ended all square.

Last Tuesday, O’Brien, capped five times, took in Ireland’s Nations League defeat at home to Greece. Six years ago this week he enjoyed his finest moment in an Irish shirt, scoring on his debut away to Poland, a moment which was later named FAI international goal of the year.

“A special, special moment,” he smiles. “It ain’t really sunk in yet, all these moments that have happened in my life. Even being back in the Aviva, I know I didn’t score it there, but it gives me goosebumps every time I’m there.”

In this November’s FAI Cup final, maybe, just maybe, O’Brien will get his own special Lansdowne Road moment.

Derry City v Shelbourne

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