DERRY City’s Michael Duffy is determined to follow up last week’s FAI Cup win over Shelbourne with another big performance against champions Shamrock Rovers on Friday night.
The talented winger netted the crucial opening goal against Damien Duff’s side on Saturday, but it was the team’s overall performance – as well as his own - that has given them a spring in their step ahead of Friday’s encounter at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.
“I was due one of them as I’ve had a few frustrating weeks in front of the net, so that was a good feeling on Saturday night, getting that goal,” he said.
“Just for my own point of view, I need to be playing like that every game until the end of the season, and that’s the way I want to play every week; I want to be getting involved with our goals and scoring goals and getting a lot of the ball, so hopefully I can push on now and finish the season strong.”
Rovers, who are aiming for their fifth Premier Division title in-a-row, sit eight points behind table-toppers Shels and four adrift of the Candystripes - and Duffy knows Stephen Bradley will have his players fully charged up for the game. “It’s another big for us and we’re at that stage of the season where every game is big.
“There aren’t many matches to go and, after a big win last Saturday, we’ve another massive game with Rovers at home and it could really push us on going into the last seven league games.
“Look, they’ve won the league four years in a row, so I knew with the squad they have that they could never be written off, but I just focus on us and I’m not thinking about anyone else.”
The 30-year-old concedes the momentum from the win over Shelbourne is something which was needed at the Brandywell, and he hopes that display will kick them on into the Rovers game.
“We needed a night like that.
“It had been a while since we played at home and getting a packed house last Saturday, us playing well and getting the big win, just sets us up lovely now going into the Rovers game.
“Everyone was brilliant on Saturday, right from the back through midfield and up front, we all worked our socks off and everything just went for us and I think it showed.” The former Dundalk man was also pleased that his old club looks to have been saved.
The Oriel Park men were close to going into liquidation, but on Tuesday the club confirmed a takeover was agreed between Brian Ainscough and local man John Temple - much to Duffy’s delight.
“I’m delighted that they seem to have got something sorted.
“No-one wants to see that happen to any club in this league but obviously especially to Dundalk, because I spent a lot of years down there and a lot of my best memories in football were at Dundalk, so it would have been sad to see if they hadn’t been able to get things sorted.
“I still have a good few mates playing for Dundalk and it would have been very scary for them and everyone involved with the club - it’s great to see that it looks like they’ve got sorted out and they’re staying in the league for the rest of the season.”
