There is a seemingly endless diet of television on our screens from all over the world, but it is hard to imagine that any of the matches shown in the coming weeks will match the passion and excitement of last night’s SSE Airtricity League of Ireland clash between Shelbourne and St Pats at Tolka Park.

The RTÉ cameras were there so a wider audience could see it, and anyone who tuned in will do so again.

Shelbourne has been heading towards its first title since 2006, with Damien Duff at the helm.  It is worth broadcasters introducing a Duff Cam to keep an eye on his remonstrations, reactions and more on the line.

Facing him last night was Stephen Kenny, possibly still a little bruised from some of the commentary around the closing months of his reign as the Republic of Ireland Manager.

Duff had been on his backroom team but left after the investigation of a motivational video shown to the team before a game against England.

Shelbourne’s recent form has been poor, with only one win in the last eight games. As they have stumbled, so too have nearest rivals Derry City and Shamrock Rovers, both of whom lost last Friday when Shelbourne drew with Sligo Rovers.

Now, they have four games left, the same as Rovers and one less than Derry, whose game in hand is at home to Bohemians, the same side they play in Friday’s semi-final of the Sports Direct FAI Cup.

The threads weaving this season together are the stuff of a Sky Sports copywriter’s dreams.

As was the story that unfolded last night.  2-0 down going into the last 15 minutes, Shelbourne got a lifeline through Rayhaan Tulloch on 76 minutes, and the roof came off the place five minutes later when Matthew Smith made it level.  Stephen Kenny sent on Al Amin Kazeem as an 87th-minute sub, and with almost his first touch of the game, he had won the match for the visitors.

Pats are now only two points adrift of Shamrock Rovers in third and could mathematically still win the League.

Shelbourne remain as favourites but they face two away trips to Rovers and, on the last day of the season, Derry City in the Brandywell in their last four games.

It will probably be a win-or-bust game, with the title on the line for whoever emerges on top.

Attendance figures for the League this season are heading towards one million, despite the fact that too many of the grounds need serious upgrades to match the facilities now in place at Tallaght Stadium.

This is great football to watch and get involved in.  And it is right on our doorstep.

 

 

 

 

 

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