Derry City star Michael Duffy out to win today's FAI Cup final for his biggest fan
Derry City and Drohgeda United clash in today's FAI Cup final at Aviva Stadium (3.00pm)
Derry City have reached today’s FAI Cup final the hard way and Michael Duffy has single handedly dragged them there.
But the ace winger is determined to make even more memories at Aviva Stadium as he wants to keep his biggest fan happy - five-year-old son Eli.
The Candystripes saw off St Patrick’s Athletic, Cork City, Shelbourne and Bohemians to get to this point as they strive to repeat their 2022 success. They didn’t concede a goal in that time, and Duffy has weighed in with crucial goals to secure their seat at the table against Drogheda United.
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The PFA Ireland Player of the Year nominee scored both goals in the semi-final win away to Bohemians last month, and also netted against Shels and St Pat’s. Duffy is chasing his fifth FAI Cup trophy, having lifted it twice with both Derry and Dundalk but admits the 2022 success over Shelbourne was the sweetest.
“That cup just felt extra special. Coming back to Derry, I really wanted to win trophies and I had a tough year with the leg break,” he said. “Being back with this club, it's different when you're from here and all those friends and family, day to day walking about and you see the buzz, so it meant that bit more.”
Duffy’s son Eli was only three at the time, but was on the pitch with him for the celebrations and younger brother Georgie - 18 months - has arrived in the meantime.
“My son is absolutely crazy about football. The last four or five months, he's been asking me about the cup final, constantly asking when it is and we weren't even there! So I had to keep saying that we had three games to go, two games to go. It would have hurt telling him that we're not going there. But after the semi-final at Dalymount, I wanted to get home and wake up the next morning to tell him we're in the Cup final.”
Duffy continued: “He remembers 2022 a bit, looking at pictures, but this year he’s clued in and hasn't stopped talking about it. He's excited. It does mean a bit more now that you're a father, just memories like that and seeing the smile on his face.”
Living in his native Derry, it’s hard for Duffy to avoid the Derry City chats when he’s out and about. And the last fortnight has been particularly difficult after Derry squandered their chance of the double by falling out of league contention on the penultimate night.
“You hear it every day when you're out doing the shopping, or out with the kids doing stuff. People express their opinion but they are fans and they are passionate,” he said. “You have to see where they are coming from too. There have been so many ups and downs this year.
“I've seen fans absolutely buzzing and then I've had to listen to them give out massively other mornings. It’s been a tough time lately and sometimes you can't be bothered to speak about it, but you try to be nice about it. They don't be ignorant, they express themselves.
“They are upset about it, which is fair enough. We were in a great position and we let it slip. It's been tough for the players and tough for the fans the last few weeks. But thankfully now we have this amazing day to hopefully go win the trophy.”
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Michael Duffy admits an Ireland call-up would have been the icing on the cake of a glittering career. Only red tape held him back and now that he is 30, he knows it is unlikely to happen at this stage.
The Derry City ace was a league title winner with Dundalk under Stephen Kenny and Kenny tried to call him up as Ireland boss. But Duffy had played U21 for Northern Ireland and his international clearance kept getting delayed.
“That happened twice which was a bit disappointing,” said Duffy. “I feel like there was one of the times when I had a great chance of getting called in.
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“I remember waiting on a phone call and actually got one from Stephen, but it was him saying the clearance still hadn't come through. That was disappointing as I'd seen his name on the phone and thought I was getting called in here. It was around Covid time and they had a lot of players out, so I had a good chance of playing too. But it didn't happen and you move on.”
And Duffy doubts he’ll be getting selected for Ireland at this stage, even though he has been one of the league’s standout players this season.
“It's probably unlikely. My main focus now is winning stuff for Derry,” he added. A few years ago I might have had that in my head, that I'd have a good chance, but I don't think about that now. If something like that comes up, it would be unbelievable. But I feel my time has sort of passed with it, but you never know in football.”
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