Duffy hoping lightning can strike twice in cup semi

MICHAEL Duffy knows from personal experience what it feels like to score against Shamrock Rovers in an FAI Cup semi-final and hopes to repeat the feeling at Oriel Park on Sunday.

Back in 2014 the Hoops were red hot favourites to end their long then 27 year wait for the FAI Cup after beating Stephen Kenny’s Dundalk 2-1 in a quarter-final replay at Oriel Park.

They were paired with Derry City in the last four but despite taking a 1-0 semi-final lead in Tallaght, an 87th minute equaliser from Rory Patterson denied them passage through to the final at the Aviva.

It could have been curtains for Rovers then and there had Duffy taken a brilliant chance right at the death but the side, then managed by Pat Fenlon, were still tipped to progress ahead of the replay in the Brandywell two days later.

Once again Derry didn’t read the script though and on 89 minutes Duffy raced in from the right onto a pass from Patterson to slot to the net. Patterson would add a second afterwards as 10 man Rovers went in desperate search of an equaliser.

Derry would go on to lose the final against St Patrick’s Athletic the follow- ing month but three years on Duffy is determined to repeat that memorable victory over the Tallaght men and go one better.

‘Hopefully that happens again and I get the winner,’ he smiled when reminded about that game from 2014.

‘Both the goals against them were in the 90th minute and I missed one in the last minute of the first game so I was happy to score then in the second one.

‘Hopefully I can do the same again.’ Duffy is under no illusions that Stephen Bradley’s side will be tough to beat though as they look to end a 30 year wait for the FAI Cup.

‘It’s probably our biggest game of the season. The cup is huge but it will be tough just as the EA Sports Cup final was against them in Tallaght.

‘We’re going in in good form so hopefully that stands to us.’

Duffy is also hopeful of adding to his goal tally after coming off the bench to score his eighth goal of the season against Drogheda Utd last Friday.

‘I’ve been enjoying the past few weeks but I know I needed to get a couple of more goals so hopefully this is the start of it now,’ he said.