WHEN SHANE DUFFY made his Republic of Ireland debut his father Brian was “stuck on a laptop in the middle of the night” at home in Glendale Park in Derry.
That was in June 2014, when his son Shane in action in a drab end of season friendly international, drawing 1-1 with 10-man Costa Rica at the PPL Stadium in Philadelphia.
Last night in Dublin though, was much more of a family affair as Shane, now 24 and a father of two – one-year-old Faye and three-week-old Lucas – lined out for the Boys in Green for the first time in Dublin.
The Blackburn Rovers defender made a telling contribution, setting up Ciaran Clark for the only goal against Switzerland at the Aviva Stadium and being named man of the match.
“We’re still on a high,” Brian Duffy, a native of Ard O’Donnell in Letterkeny, told Donegal Sport Hub this afternoon.
Four years ago when Giovanni Trapattoni’s Ireland welcomed the Czech Republic to the Aviva in another international friendly, there were whispers that Shane Duffy – then at Everton – would feature at senior level for the first time. Perhaps, they might’ve dreamt, he might even have been an outside shot at making the squad for Euro 2012.
But for the expectant family all they got to see was a fairly rigorous warm-up, although they’ve still the jersey from that night at the family home in Derry. But last night was different.
“I got the text from Shane, saying he was starting at about six o’clock,” Brian added. “It was surreal. There wasn’t much cheering and shouting but we were there in the stadium good and early.”
There’s pride in every family when a son runs out in front of his own in an international jersey. For the Duffys, even more so.
In May 2010, whilst playing for the Republic of Ireland development squad and the Ireland amateur side in Malahide, Shane suffered a freak injury – a laceration of the liver – when he collided with opposition goalkeeper, Adrian Walsh.
Gerry McEntee, the former Meath footballer and Mater Hospital surgeon, performed emergency surgery to save the then 18-year-old’s life.
“Everything was rushing back to us about Malahide,” Brian Duffy said. “It’s hard to believe that’s six years ago now. Thankfully it’s a distant memory and in a way, it’s changed our outlook.”
Against Switzerland, when Shane Duffy’s header in the second minute from an out-swinging corner from Robbie Brady was nodded home by London-born Clark – whose father Michael was brought up in Ballyare, Milford – for what proved to be the only goal.
“For a second we thought it was Shane who scored,” Brian Duffy added. “But it was Ciaran. But when I could see Shane, from the start I knew he wasn’t nervous and then, in turn, meant I wasn’t.”
At the other end of the field, Duffy and Clark performed like they’d been alongside one another for years.
“Maybe I’m biased but Shane, I think, was ready for it last night,” Brian Duffy added. “He’s got regular football at Blackburn and is enjoying it there with Paul Lambert.
“It’d be unreal for Shane to make the squad for Euro 2016 in France but we’ll have to see. But last night he did well and he’s playing as well lately as he has at any point in his career.
“He knows he needs more experience at international level but he’s comfortable with the lads in the squad. Himself and the likes of James McClean and Seamus Coleman are great friends. Shane was at Everton a year before Seamus was but when they hooked it they got on like a house on fire.”
On a night when Seamus Coleman captained Ireland, Clark scored and Duffy was named man of the match, it was a proud night for Donegal.
Shane Duffy came over to his parents, Brian and Siobhain, after the game and gave them the shirt from his back.
“I often see players doing that – giving their jerseys to someone in the crowd – and I when I saw Shane come over I though ‘Jeez, this must be our moment’,” Brian Duffy added.
“In the players’ bar afterwards, we met Seamus Coleman’s parents, Henry and Marie. I was asking them is this what it felt for them when Seamus played first – it was like I almost had to be reassured!
“But Seamus’s brother, Francie, said that they still feel the same every time he plays. When Francie said that I knew it was right. We’re still buzzing to be honest. The wait, for Shane, was worth it.”
