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THE FIRST THING the Shelbourne manager Damien Duff did at full-time tonight when his team were confirmed as champions of Ireland for the first time since 2006 was be swarmed by his bench and engulfed in love and affection.
There will be thousands more back in Dublin waiting to do the same.
Harry Wood will be next in line after the substitute scored the goal that will go down in lore four minutes from time.
Within minutes of the final whistle almost all of the 300 away fans were on the pitch too.
Shamrock Rovers streak of league titles has ended at four, and one of the greatest League of Ireland teams of all give way to one of the best Irish sporting stories in a long, long time.
Rovers upheld their bargain, nervily beating Waterford 2-1, all the while hoping not to hear anything from Shelbourne’s game at Derry. But ultimately, Wood’s late, late goal for Shelbourne arrived for Rovers fans like the recordings from a black box: something you only hear when it’s all gone wrong.
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