Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
I feel like I could score in every match, I’ll always get a chance..
BRIGHTON STAR HAS GOALS ON HIS MIND
SHANE DUFFY believes he can score for Ireland every time he ventures forward for a set-piece.
But even Martin O’neill’s current Premier League top scorer – the big defender has bagged two goals for Brighton – wouldn’t attempt what Ian Morris pulled off for Bohemians at Turner’s Cross on Monday.
Centre-back Morris (right) surged forward with the ball and fired a 40-yard rocket that arrowed into the top corner.
“Oh my God, what a goal,” exclaimed Duffy. “He said it was in his top five. If that’s in his top five, I want to see the other four! I’d be getting dragged off by Martin if I tried that.
“If it was anyone else who scored that, it would be all over the world by now.”
Duffy is 6’ 4” tall, weighs 12 stone and is a massive physical presence in both penalty areas.
Crucially he has a real desire to get on the end of set-pieces – and is mustard keen to add to his two goals for his country.
“I feel like I can score in every game, that I’m a threat at setpieces in the box,” he declared. “I feel I’ll always get a chance. “But it’s up to me to work hard and try to score more. “It’s obviously not the most important thing I have to worry about – that’s my defending, keeping clean sheets. But it’s always a nice bonus if you can help by scoring.” He was hugely disappointed not to score at all for Brighton last season but already has hit the net against Man United and Southampton.
“There’s a bit more pressure because it’s your country,” he pointed out. “But
if I get a chance on Saturday I feel like I could score again.”
His last Ireland goal came last November and, just like tomorrow, Denmark provided the opposition at the Aviva.
Duffy’s sixth minute header put Ireland ahead in the World Cup play-off second leg.
Was he thinking of Russia in the summer before the roof caved in and the Danes hit Ireland for five?
“For a couple of minutes I was – and then it was a bad 20 minutes after it,” recalled the 24-year-old.
“I’ve had some bad games and that would definitely be one