Ruaidhri Higgins rues Michael Duffy’s unavailability earlier in campaign: ‘We would have been closer (to Shamrock Rovers)’

Ruaidhri Higgins

Ruaidhri Higgins Credit: Eddie Lennon (ETPhotos)

Derry City manager Ruaidhri Higgins has lamented the absence of star winter signing Michael Duffy and believes had the former Dundalk winger been fit for the current campaign his side would be a lot closer to Shamrock Rovers at the top of the Premier Division.

Duffy made a big impact off the bench for the Candystripes in their 1-0 win over Shelbourne at Tolka Park on Monday night, providing several dangerous crosses and creating two chances for his teammates after playing his first 90 minutes in the FAI Cup last-16 win over Cork City last weekend.

Higgins’ charges are seven points adrift of three-in-a-row chasing Shamrock Rovers with a game more played and he insists the gap would be a lot narrower had Duffy not been injured for two thirds of the campaign.

“Huge difference. I think when he’s at it, he’s the most productive player in the league. His numbers over the years have been frightening.

"If everything was equal, he would have started the game tonight but I think we all know that he’s had a really difficult time and it’s about getting him up to speed in the right way, played his first 90 minutes since the back end of last season against Cork in the cup and he’s been sore over the weekend. 

“We knew that as the game got stretched here tonight, he could have an impact. 

“We would have been closer. It’s not even up for discussion,” added Higgins although he wouldn’t be drawn into talk that they might even be ahead of the Hoops.
 

“God knows, I’m not Mystic Meg. I don’t know where we would be but we’d definitely be closer that’s for sure. I think that’s pretty obvious.”

Higgins opposite number Damien Duff knows all about top class left wingers and he acknowledged that Duffy’s introduction from the bench made a big difference.

“They've one of the best players in the last ten years in the league coming on with 20-25 mins to go in Michael Duffy. He's a match winner isn't he? He brought a real bit of quality.”



Looking ahead, Higgins side entertain UCD on Friday night at the Brandywell and he isn’t looking beyond that as Derry look to keep the pressure on Rovers and keep what is an increasingly unlikely title race alive.

“To beat UCD on Friday. We’ll see, things change so quickly, Pat’s are putting a great run together. I know Dundalk lost, we’ll see. It’s a really competitive league. Us against Shelbourne, we won 1-0 earlier in the season here, they beat us at the Brandywell 2-1, so the games have been extremely tight.

"So you don’t prioritise a game, UCD if you don’t prepare for every game, they’ll beat us. But we’re at home in front of our supporters, so we want to win Friday. It’s a nice boring answer.”

 

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