Higgins and Duff on Sadou Diallo cup final suspension

Damien Duff

Damien Duff Credit: Hugh de Paor (ETPhotos)

Rónán MacNamara at the Aviva Stadium

Normally a manager might be smiling at the absence of a key player from the opposition ahead of an cup final but Shels boss Damien Duff has blasted the suspension of Derry City’s Sadou Diallo. The midfielder will miss the FAI Cup Final after he was sent off in the club’s final league game of the season – a defeat to Dundalk.

Despite the Premier Division being a different competition, Diallo’s suspension doesn’t carry forward to the first game of next season, instead he will miss Sunday’s showpiece against Duff’s Shelbourne.

Diallo who sent off for an altercation with Robbie McCourt – who was also dismissed – has impressed since joining the Candystripes in the summer window and Duff has been an admirer from afar.

“I saw the incident,” said Duff. “It’s unfortunate. It's a ridiculous rule, they look after you all year in the cup to help you play in the final and then you’re told if you get a red in the last league game,” said Duff. “It was separate all year and then to get a red in the league game doesn’t make sense.

“We were on tender hooks on Sunday night (against Pats) for injuries and for somebody getting sent off that’s why we took Jack (Moylan) and Mark Coyle off so we had to adapt.

“He’s a fantastic player. One of his first games was against us and I was like ‘woah’ who’s this guy. I was texting Ruaidhri (Higgins) after the game. He was saying he’s got him on a year and a half, a great signing. I feel sorry for the young kid, he’s very humble and a religious boy from speaking to Ruaidhri,” added the two-time English Premier League winner.

Higgins was asked about Diallo’s suspension after being made aware of Duff’s comments and he agreed with his opposite number who have struck up a good rapport this season and in their brief time together in Stephen Kenny’s Ireland set up.

“He (Diallo) was heartbroken. He had a real big family connection coming over the game. They had flights and hotels booked, all that sort of stuff,” explained Higgins who is a two-time FAI Cup winner as a Derry City player. “So it’s extremely disappointing for him.

"He’s upset. He’s a quiet boy by nature who lives and breathes football. Lives his life right. So it’s a real kick in the teeth for him. Football is full of ups and downs and this is a down for him. But, again, so long as he learns from it, it can become a positive.



“Obviously, I’m going to say this now as I’m on the receiving end. Ideally, given it’s a league game, he would miss the start of next season’s league campaign. But we knew the rules going into the game, so there was no excuse from that end. But it’s a harsh lesson for him.”

Diallo is a former Manchester City youth player having also taken in spells at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Accrington Stanley and Forest Green Rovers – although he only has 18 senior league appearances to his name at 23-years of age.

But the Guinean has been one of the standout midfielders in the Premier Division since his arrival and Higgins believes he could explode next season.

“He’s had a fantastic impact since coming. He never really had a pre-season. So I think we’ll see the very best of him next year. For a 23-year-old he’s relatively inexperienced because he hasn’t seen much senior football. He’ll be hurting at the minute, but long-term it could be beneficial for him.”

 

About Rónán MacNamara

View Full Profile