SHANE DUFFY ACCEPTS it hasn’t been easy dealing with the highs and lows of last summer.
A late bolter into Ireland’s Euro 2016 squad after impressing during pre-tournament friendlies against Switzerland and the Netherlands, the imposing centre-half was an unused substitute in the opening two games in France.
However, 24-year-old Duffy was picked to start alongside Richard Keogh in the make-or-break Group E clash with Italy and performed excellently at the heart of the Irish defence — on just his third senior international appearance – as they clinched a 1-0 win.
But, having kept his place for the last-16 tie with hosts France in Lyon, it was to be a particularly painful exit for the Derryman. At fault for Antoine Griezmann’s second goal, Duffy then received his marching orders five minutes later after chopping the Atletico Madrid star down.
As if that wasn’t cruel enough, Duffy endured a horrendous start to the Championship season with Blackburn Rovers when he followed up an own-goal against Wigan with two more and a red card on a horrendous day at Cardiff.
A fresh start was needed and one week later he had joined Brighton for a club record fee of £4 million (€4.5m).
“It’s been tough in a way,” explained Duffy yesterday. “It was a really proud moment for me in the summer to get into the squad and then to play. Then there was the disappointment of the France game, which was hard to take.
That carried on for the start of the season, which was difficult and it was hard for me to keep my head up. But I had good family and good people around who stuck with me and got behind it all.
“I didn’t want it to happen like that but my team weren’t playing well as well as me making a couple of big mistakes.
“I gave everything in pre-season and did everything right but it’s just one of those things where it happens. I didn’t deal with it as well as I could’ve and hopefully it’s behind me now.
“I’m a young centre-half and you’re going to make mistakes. I’m trying to put them behind me and be as strong as I can.”
Under former Ireland defender Chris Hughton, Brighton are once again challenging for those promotion spots in England’s second tier and Duffy has played every minute in the league since moving at the end of August.
He missed Ireland’s draw with Serbia in last month’s World Cup qualifying opener due to suspension but is aiming to reclaim his spot in the team for the meeting with Georgia at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow night.
“The move to Brighton has given me a new lease of life,”he adds. “The manager believes in me and he has got me playing well. I’m enjoying it down there and I think I’ll be better for it.
“My form at club level has been good and I can just look forward to get the game on Thursday now.”
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