MARCUS CAVAROLI

A YEAR ago newly-signed Lee Duffy became an instant hero with Wexford FC supporters when he scored their first-ever goal since rebranding themselves from their previous name Wexford Youths.

However, last Friday he came back to haunt the south-east club when scoring twice for Drogheda United in an extraordinary 8-1 away win.

That wasn’t the whole story, though, and the livewire striker’s primary thoughts afterwards related to his needless sending-off in the 88th minute when the Boynesiders were coasting to a a club record margin of victory.

‘I’m absolutely gutted with the sending-off there at the end after getting the two goals,’ he admitted, eventually uttering the word ‘gutted’ eight times during a three-minute conversation.

‘I felt like the myself and the team played very well and I feel as if I’ve ruined it myself, getting sent off for the first time.

‘It was an absolute dogfight at the end and I lost control of the ball. I think I took it down and it got ahead of me and I thought it was there to be won and I just midjudged it and obviously caught him - I think it was Aaron Dobbs.

‘I didn’t mean to do it and I feel sick. I think the ref was going to get out the yellow card, but I think the fourth official said to him ‘that’s a sending-off’ and then I saw him going to his back pocket.’

It was an unfortunate end to a great game from the team’s point of view and Duffy’s as he scored his first competitive goals of his second spell with the Drogs, having scored seven in 26 appearances back in 2015.

The ex Shelbourne player, now 26, was plucked out of the North East League during pre-season by Drogheda boss Tim Clancy - himself a Trim native - and he’s more than happy to be back in the League of Ireland.

‘Tim just said to me afterwards, ‘you’ve worked so hard all game and it’s an error’,’ Duffy revealed.

‘He just said at half-time to keep going, don’t let them back into it, and we went straight back out and kept pushing on.

‘I’m so happy to get two goals and then I went and ruined it myself. I had a few chances to get a hat-trick and the boys were giving out, saying I should have passed, but I wanted the hat-trick.

‘I was playing with Trim Celtic before this. The last couple of years my ankle had been at me and I kind of dropped out [of football] and wasn’t doing so well.

‘I came back and just said, you know what, I’ll play with the local team, and then I got the phone call off Tim. I’m absolutely delighted to be back here. We’re off to a flying start with two great wins and you can’t get any better than that.

‘But we’re just taking it each game as it comes.’

At the time of going to press Duffy was awaiting news of his suspension, but he anticipated being absent for the home games against Galway United this Friday and Finn Harps next Monday.