Derry winger Duffy driven to deliver!

Michael Duffy admits he has been ‘driven mad’ at his injury problems which have followed him since his return to Derry City.

The winger, who has been able to show just glimpses of the quality which made him a star at Dundalk, made just eight starts in 2022 and 21 league starts last year, statistics he is determined to change in 2024.

Having made over 200 appearances during his five years at Dundalk, Duffy has been a frustrated man since returning to his home-town club and as a result has spent a lot of time with Derry City’s strength and conditioning coach Kevin McCreadie and physio Michael Hegarty since the end of last season.

“It has been frustrating for me since I came back, because in my five years at Dundalk I barely missed a game to be honest,” he acknowledged. “The main thing is to stay injury free. That, to be honest, has killed me since I came back to the club and it has driven me mad but I feel that I’m in a good place this year.

“I did a lot in the off-season with Mickey (Hegarty) and Kevin (McCreadie) and I’m feeling good at the minute and thankfully I got through pre-season, which was the main thing, so as I said hopefully I can stay injury free.

“To be honest staying injury free is the same for a lot of us, because we’ve been a wee bit unfortunate with injuries, so that’s one of the goals for this year, staying injury free and try to stick at it.”

The 29-year-old has been in fine form in pre-season, and even scored two goals in City’s friendly at Dundalk last week. Having hit 10 goals in all competitions last year, he is now aiming to play in every game, as he attempts to make up for lost time.

"I want to be involved in every game in terms of either scoring or assists, help the team, that’s what I want to do in every single game, but to be honest my target is to mainly just stay fit,” he added.

“I want to play every game, I really don’t want to miss a game, because I’ve come back to the club and missed too many games, so I’m now at that stage where I don’t want to miss any more."

High expectations

The expectation at Derry City is as high s it has ever been, with fans desperate foe their team to finally lift a league title the club last won in 1996/97. Two second place finishes have only strengthened the fans’ hopes that their club is on the verge of becoming champions for only the third time in League of Ireland history.

“The expectation has been good since I’ve come back to the club and that’s what you want,” he acknowledged.

“We want to win things and I came here to win things; Fats is the same, all the players who have joined, are exactly the same, we want to win stuff.

THE CHALLENGE… Michael Duffy knows Derry City will have to be at their best to catch Shamrock Rovers this year. (Photo: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE)

“Obviously winning the FAI Cup in our first year was brilliant. We’re getting close with the league and that’s our main goal. I know fans are expecting it, we’re expecting it and that’s brilliant, because that’s what we want and that’s what we’re trying to do, but listen it’s going to be tough.

“The league is getting tougher every year so we just need to be at it all the time. It’s not just (Shamrock) Rovers now and it certainly isn't going to be a two-horse race. I feel there’s four or five teams who’ll be pushing for the title. Everyone has strengthened well; all the teams are full-time now, everyone is so fit and they are all well coached. It’s good for the league, as I feel it will be competitive all year round.”

Only two new faces have arrived at the club, but they are players Duffy knows well having played with Pat Hoban and Daniel Kelly at Dundalk. Those additions improve an already talented squad.

“We’ve competitive throughout the squad and that’s what you want,” he said. “In training every day you’re fighting to make sure you’re starting. No one is a guaranteed starter, but as I said that’s a good thing, because that’s good for the team.

“A lot of games in this league are won by substitutes as well, so when you’ve a strong bench and everyone's at it, then that will be good for us this year.”

“We know where we let ourselves down at times over the last two years and we’re going to try and build on that this year and hopefully learn from those mistakes.

“We have a very experienced squad and it’s looking brilliant going into this season. We have a lot of winners in our dressing room and we’ll all drive each other on, to being a bit more ruthless and stuff. Like finishing teams off when we’re on top and we’ll be working on that. Our aim is to hopefully start off the season well and see where that takes us.”