HARRY WOOD scored a brace as life after Damien Duff began with a share of the spoils for Shelbourne following a titanic battle with Waterford.
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 at the RSC.
A whirlwind 36 hours for the Tolka Park club saw Joey O’Brien take over as interim manager after Duff’s shock exit on Sunday.
And the ex-assistant was on the edge of the touchline like his predecessor, dishing out the orders as a dramatic start to both halves was the tale of this encounter.
And he could have been celebrating seven minutes into added time.
O’Brien proclaimed in his post-match interview that it was a “mad 24 hours” and that the players were “shocked” by Duff’s departure early on Sunday morning, but that his players were “paid professionals”, and it was Daniel Kelly who nearly won him his first game in the hotseat only to rattle the bar. 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.
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.
SUN STAR MAN
Harry Wood (Shelbourne)
WATERFORD: McMullan 7; Horton 7 (McCormack 84, 4), McDonald 7 (White 84, 4), Leahy 7, Burke 7, Dempsey 6 (Boyle 62, 5); Lonergan 6, Olayinka 7, Glenfield 7 (McMenamy 72, 5), Noonan 6; Amond 8.
SHELBOURNE: Kearns 7; Gannon 7, Barrett 7, Wilson 7 (Norris 62, 5), Ledwidge 7; Lunney 7, Wood 9, Coyle 8 (Chapman 74, 5), Coote 7 (Boyd 74, 5); Odubeko 7 (Martin 86, 4), Caffrey 6 (Kelly 62, 7).
REFEREE: D Toland (Athlone) 5
