of them. The worst. You can’t really dwell on it. You can’t really think it’s a bit of a revenge game. It’s not.
“They got to the World Cup and we didn’t. Over the two legs they deserved it.
“It’s up to us now. I’m looking forward to getting the chance to put it right so we don’t leave here with the same feeling.”
But Ireland’s next competitive game, the Nations League opener against Wales last month, was another defensive disaster.
O’neill’s side lost 4-1 in Cardiff. “It was a difficult night,” reflected the Derry man. “We got off to the worst start, they pressed us and that set the tempo straight away.
“They just got all over us. Second balls, first balls, they kept the ball from us and w e could never really get going. “Callum (Robinson) had a good chance early on and if that went in it could’ve been a different game.
“They were just the better team on the night and dominated us.
“Obviously we didn’t help – it wasn’t good enough for an international team at this level.” Redemption is on offer, with the Welsh following the Danes to Dublin on Tuesday.
“If you do have a bad night, both teams can punish you,” cautioned Duffy.
“They’ve done that to us.
“We’ve got to be at our top game – we’ve got to be all at it.
“We know we can get results against these teams, because we have done before. But if we slip off it for a second, we get punished, the game will be past us and done. “We can’t let it happen again. We believe we can beat anyone – that’s always the belief we’ve had.
“We’ve had a few bad results, people losing that belief outside. But inside we have good leaders who will tell you the right things, who have the belief.
“You have to listen and believe you can win.”
A FIVE-YEAR contract was a slam Dunk for Shane Duffy – and would love it now if his centre-half partner and pal Lewis got in on the international act. Duffy, who joined Brighton two years ago, penned the new deal last week.“I’m delighted with it,” he said. “It was obviously nice for the club to reward me for how I’ve done over the last year or so. “It’s a place I’m happy at and feel it’s getting the best out of me, so it was a no-brainer. When they’ve got the trust in you, it’s a good start. Then it’s up to us to perform.”A factor in Duffy’s success in making it at Premier League level has been his partnership withLewis Dunk, who has been called into the England squad (right) – and has also been rewarded with a new contract by Brighton.“It’s key, when you’ve got someone of his calibre, it makes you play better,” Duffy asserted.“We know each other’s game inside out now, we’ve played three seasons together, and for both of us to get new contracts it was nice of the club to see the work we’ve been putting in.“You need time to work PARTNERS Brighton duo Dunk and Duffy with someone and develop what people get used to. And trust. You’ve got to trust each other to back you up if you make a mistake, knowing the other guy can cover you if you slip up.“We’d definitely be close. I’d be delighted for him (if he gets a cap).”Duffy could well find himself in a back three against Denmark tomorrow ifMartin O’neill goes with a 3-5-2 formation again.While part of a traditional back four with Brighton, Duffy has no concerns.“It’s just about adapting,” he stated. “It’s still the same basics of defending.“We have played it a few times already. It can work and it’s a nice formation if you get it right.” DENMARK have probably lost the man who dismantled Ireland’s World Cup dream 11 months ago – but Shane Duffy reckons his loss is on a par with Seamus Coleman’s absence for the men in green.Christian Eriksen (above, right) is expected to miss tomorrow’s Nations League clash in Dublin with a stomach injury, but the home side will be without their captain Coleman (above) due to a stress fracture in his foot.“We’ve got Seamus Coleman out and he is our Eriksen, maybe,” said Duffy. “He’s a huge player for us, so it goes both ways.“I’m sure we’ve got players who have to come in and perform and they’re the same as us – they’ve got players to come in.“We know they’re not just a one-man team, they’re a good team – a good, solid, hard team to beat.“Obviously it helps if he doesn’t play, he’s one less player to worry about.” STAR Eriksen completes hat-trick in Dublin last year