Damien Duff claims fitness coach subjected to racial abuse during win over St Pats

Shelbourne manager Damien Duff has claimed that a member of his backroom staff was racially abused during their game with St Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park on Friday night.

Table-topping Shels opened up a five-point lead at the summit going into the international break with a 2-1 win over their Dublin rivals, thanks to two second-half goals from Will Jarvis.

But the victory was soured as Duff told reporters in the aftermath that their Portuguese strength and conditioning coach Mauro Martins had been subjected to racial abuse.

“Last week, my mam, my dad and my brothers were getting abused. Tonight, Mauro (Mauro Martins), our fitness coach, not one of the best in the league, indeed one of the best in the world, from Portugal, got racially abused," said Duff.

“That’s why our win made it a special night, not for the club really but for him. That's all I'll say on the matter. I’ll leave it with whoever the relevant people are.”

Asked if the incident will be reported, Duff replied: “I don't know who you speak to in this country but, at the end of the day, in a strange way, I thank the fans because it gave us an extra incentive to go and do it for Mauro because we're a family, we're not a squad, we're not a football club, we're a family, and the lads were desperate to go and get the win for Mauro.

“But something has been said. There'll obviously be no proof so it will get brushed under the carpet. Sometimes abuse can go a bit too far.”