Shelbourne manager Damien Duff has said a "lack of respect" was the reason behind his refusal to shake hands with his Shamrock Rovers counterpart Stephen Bradley two weeks ago.
The sides played out a 2-2 draw at Tallaght Stadium, a game where tensions were high on the respective sidelines. Duff departed straight down the tunnel at full-time, something that Bradley hit out at prior to his side's 2-0 victory over Sligo Rovers on Monday night as the feud appears to simmer away in the background.
Writing in the match-day programme, Bradley said outlined his unhappiness over events after the game last month.
"I wasn't happy. To be honest I don't think it's good enough," he said.
"I said it to Shelbourne's backroom and to be fair to them Joey O'Brien, Dave McAllister and the others, they did what you're supposed to do and waited around to shake hands.
"I think it's such a lack of respect to do that, win, lose or draw. We were winning 2-0 against Bohs recently and end up losing 3-2 with the last kick of the game. You show the opposition manager respect at the end and shake hands. So I think it's really poor to be honest."
Duff, who saw his side fall to a 1-0 home defeat to Waterford and are now without a win in their last five games, was asked for his response to Bradley’s criticism.
"Listen, I think since Stephen got invited down to the Dáil, he seems to think he can comment on everything at the minute," the 46-year-old told reporters.
"I didn’t shake his hand after the game, I didn’t shake any of the staffs’ hands after the game because I didn’t think they deserved it.
"I wasn’t even going to shake their hands before the game because if it was a lack of respect for how he spoke about me before the game, it was a lack of respect criticising my character was the way I took it, but the game was nearly two weeks ago.
"So if he is still going on about it, that’s all I have to say about it."
The origin of the disagreement between the league's most high profile managers appears to be a comment by Bradley last month, when asked abot Duff's assertion that Shels midfielder Kerr McInroy is the best player in the league.
"Sometimes Damien can get a bit carried away with his comments, a little bit emotional".
On the pitch, the champions’ stuttering title defence is of concern to Duff, who concedes they look off the pace from the side that won the league title last season.
"Is there an edge, a nerviness around the guys? "I don’t know. There’s a nerviness in defence with the goals we are giving away.
"We had chances in the first half and second half to get back and win the game, they have done a job on us, tried to frustrate us for the whole game, slow it down, as I have said many times it’s something the guys will have to get used to."
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