JOEY O’BRIEN admitted Shelbourne endured a “mad 24 hours” after Damien Duff’s departure.
Shels began life without Duff last night with a 2-2 draw away to Waterford.
And it was Duff’s former No 2 who took interim charge.
O’Brien said: “It was a shock for everyone in the football club. From a personal point of view, I absolutely loved the manager. He will always be my manager.”
When asked if he would be interested in taking the Shels reins, O’Brien said: “I’m here but I’m as shocked and stunned as everyone else was.
“What has happened is part of the game. The only thing you can do is perform and that’s your job. I felt that all of them stood up and put in a performance.”
Harry Wood scored a brace as Shels shared the spoils with Waterford at the RSC.
The man who gave Duff his finest moment as Shels chief with the goal that won the league title in Derry last season popped up with an equaliser seconds after Pádraig Amond had put the hosts in front early in the second half.
The post-Duff era was only three minutes old when the champions struck the front.
Tyreke Wilson found space on the left before putting in a cross that saw Mipo Odubeko get a touche that took the ball into the path of Wood at the back post, and he squeezed the ball past Stephen McMullan.
The madness continued five minutes later as Shels gifted their hosts an equalising goal.
McMullan’s long clearance was touched back to Kameron Ledwidge but his header to stopper Conor Kearns fell short before Grant Horton nipped in between defender and keeper to finish to an empty net.
It took strong hands from Blues No 1 McMullan to deny the visitors from regaining the lead on 20 minutes.
Ali Coote cut through the centre before slipping the ball out left to his hitman Odubeko only for his stinging to be kept out.
And when Reds attacker Odubeko outmuscled Darragh Leahy on the right five minutes later, he released Wood into a one-on-one run with Jesse Dempsey.
And after the winger got the better of the battle, he could not beat McMullan, who saved at his near post.
A wind-assisted McMullan goal kick on 41 minutes almost bounced for Amond on 41 minutes but keeper Kearns came out to collect just in front of the striker.
HALF-TIME TURNAROUND
An incredible start to the first-half was bettered by a kamikaze start to the second. Within three minutes, the champions were the cause of their own downfall again as they fell behind.
Paddy Barrett got his clearance all wrong and Conan Noonan’s effort was parried by Kearns but striker Amond was on hand to finish the rebound from close range.
Sixty seconds later though, interim chief O’Brien was celebrating after Mark Coyle made a lung-bursting run towards goal.
He then sprayed the ball out for Ali Coote who put in a teasing delivery and Wood was on hand to touch home.
There was even time for more drama in the seventh added minute of five added on as the impressive Wood burst from midfield to slip the ball out wide right for Kelly — who let fly with a thunderous strike.
But his effort came crashing back off the bar with McMullan beaten.
