Shane Duffy admits he was a bag of nerves in the early stages of Wednesday’s historic 1-0 win over Italy.
It showed during the first half when a horribly misplaced pass back to goalkeeper Darren Randolph went out for a corner.
But the big Derryman settled into the game, going on to turn in a superb performance alongside Richard Keogh in the centre of defence.
Strong, assured, physical and aggressive – the Blackburn player was the stand out central defender despite sharing the pitch with a catenanaccio legend like Leonardo Bonucci.
It is little wonder Duffy had a little stage fright, the 24-year-old not knowing he was starting his first ever competitive international until Martin O’Neill read out the team in the dressingroom at Stade Pierre Mauroy.
“[I only heard I was playing] just when we got here. He keeps it tight the boss. I always keep myself ready,” he said after the game.
“You never know what happens in football and that is the way I’ve been since I got in the squad so I have just looked after myself in case I am ever needed. I was tonight.”
He certainly was. Helping to contain Ciro Immobile and Simone Zaza, but also offering a threat going forward at setpieces – his freakish leap causing consternation in the Italian box.
As he chats to journalists on the way to the team bus, Stephen Ward walks past and slaps Duffy hard in the back of the head, laughing as he does it. Things might to have been so jovial if Duffy’s errant pass back to Randolph had led to an Italian goal.
That was his only wobble and after that he settled into the game and contributed massively to the 1-0 win secured thanks to a wonderful Robbie Brady header.
“The first five or 10 minutes I was a bit nervous, as you expect, but I just tried to take it all in and concentrate,” said Duffy, breaking off briefly to call Ward something unrepeatable.
“You take it all in and you try to settle down. There were a few bad passes here or there but I thought I defended quite well.”
LISTEN: 'Let us not forget Shane Duffy was nearly dead six years ago' – Seamus Coleman pays tribute to miracle man https://t.co/e0UvlIaXpt
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 22, 2016
As captain Seamus Coleman reminded us all after the game, Duffy’s journey to that tremendous result in Lille was longer than most – the former Everton man losing nearly four litres of blood when he lacerated his liver in a training game six years ago.
A few months ago he looked a long way off the 23-man squad but now he is odds-on to start a European Championship last-16 match against hosts France in Lyon. Whirlwind doesn’t come close to describing the last few weeks for a young man who only earned his second cap against Switzerland in March.
“It is hard to sum up at the minute. In football chances do come quickly and I’m grateful to the boss for picking me and putting me in the squad. I thrive off it and I thrive off the big games and I think I have done alright,” said Duffy, who made his debut against Costa Rica in the United States back in 2014.
“That is probably the best night of my career up to now and hopefully I can get a lot more like that,” said the big defender.
“I cramped up running, celebrating, but it was worth it,” added Duffy, who was looking forward to seeing his family. “Mum and Dad are here, they will be delighted and among the fans.”
Duffy too was delighted and rightly was not going to let a special night pass him by.
“Nights like this don’t come often so you have got to enjoy it.”
