His Blues side arrived in Norfolk with a point to prove and put in a professional display, winning 2-0 thanks to goals from Jaden Philogene and George Hirst.
In doing so, Town do the double over their arch-rivals for the first time since 1992/93, a huge achievement after years of pain and suffering against the Canaries.
The pendulum has truly swung in Ipswich’s favour.
“It’s special,” O’Shea said after the match.
“For us as a group, that’s really important. I feel like we’re a new group, as such, that maybe the fans haven’t clicked with as of yet. To be that group that have done that now, I hope that brings us closer to them and we can all push on in the right way.
“I feel like they’ve been unbelievable this season. Days like this, you can feel what it means to the fans and the supporters. You walk around Ipswich and this is the game that everyone speaks about.
The defender helped the Blues keep their 15th clean sheet of the season (Image: Ross Halls)
“It was really important today that we get on the right end of the result. It didn’t matter how we did. To give the fans something, to claim that back after a long time. What was it, 33 years since the double? Which is a long, long time.
“I don’t think there’s many players who are over that age in our group. For us, it’s amazing to give them that. I’m just really proud. You see how happy they are after the game.
“You see how happy we are. It’s what football is about. These are the results you want as a football club. I think for us, I’m just so proud that we’ve been able to give them that. Hopefully, we’ll have many more things to celebrate as a club.”
The performance wasn’t vintage. Ipswich were clinical, albeit that they could have scored more than two goals, but they defended incredibly well. That was enough for three points, and that’s all that matters.
“Games like these today mean so much to us and our fan base, so to get on the right end of the result is massive for everyone,” O’Shea explained.
“Today, the performance didn’t really matter too much as long as we got the result. I think that’s what everyone will remember.
George Hirst wrapped up the victory after Jaden Philogene’s penalty (Image: Ross Halls)
“I don’t think it was our best performance today but we got the job done. Sometimes in the Championship, that’s what you’ve got to do and you’ve got to win games like that.
“I’m proud of how we went about it. Obviously, massively, massively buzzing for everyone that we won the game.”
Ipswich were under pressure for much of the game, despite limiting Norwich to very little in terms of clear-cut chances. O’Shea expected that would be the case, and he knew what would be needed to take a positive result against Philippe Clement’s resurgent Canaries.
“I think Norwich are one of the best sides in the league,” he argued. “I think since their manager came in, they’ve been unbelievable.
“I think their points show for that. They play a really nice way of football and we knew it was going to be a test today, especially coming away from home to a place like this.
“We knew it was going to be hostile, we knew there was going to be lots of rounds. Obviously, Marcelino [Nunez] coming back here and stuff like that, so it was going to be a big game.
Town remain second in the Championship heading into Tuesday’s trip to Portsmouth (Image: PA)
“We knew we were going to have to stand up to it today and defend well. Yeah, we did. I thought we were excellent, everyone.
“I thought we defended from the front, which was the main thing today and I think that’s what won us the game.”
Crucially, it also keeps Town second in the Championship ahead of a midweek trip to Portsmouth and a crunch clash at home to promotion-rivals Middlesbrough at Portman Road.
A top-two finish is in their hands now, and there won’t be much time to celebrate the derby win, with focus soon switching to Fratton Park ahead of Tuesday night.
“I think you can get caught up looking at the league table and games here, games there,” O’Shea admitted.
“I think, for us, we know we have games left to play and we’ve got to do our best in each game. If we win every game, we’ll get promoted, and that’s the main thing, focusing on ourselves, not looking elsewhere.
“What will be will be, but as long as we can put on performances that we’re proud of and that our fans are proud of and come out on the right side of results, I think we’ll be happy come the end of the season.”