Duffy injury casts only shadow

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND TRAINING CAMP:SHANE DUFFY'S first spell as a member of Giovanni Trapattoni's came to a painful end at Malahide yesterday with the Everton defender taken to hospital after Carrick United goalkeeper Adrian Walsh clattered into him while trying to clear a corner in the second of the week's training games.

Duffy was clearly in quite a bit of difficulty after the challenge in which Walsh successfully punched the ball but then caught Duffy heavily with a knee to the chest that prompted a trip to the Mater where evidence of some abdominal bleeding resulted in an overnight stay for further tests.

The 19-year-old’s mishap came 35 minutes into another low-key game where Giovanni Trapattoni’s training squad team eventually got the better of Gerry Smith’s Junior side thanks to second-half goals from Cillian Sheridan and Paul McShane.

The Junior international side, drawn from the country’s amateur leagues, held their own relatively well throughout the first half, with their opponents really only managing to threaten Walsh’s goal from set-pieces, at least until Liam Lawrence fired a shot directly at the goalkeeper after 30 minutes.

The Stoke City midfielder was one of the senior team’s strongest performers but Greg Cunningham was also impressive again, with Paul Green turning in another solid display in central midfield.

Afterwards Trapattoni insisted he had been happy with the display. “Greg Cunningham was very good,” he said.

“Then there were the ones we knew before like Darren O’Dea and Paul McShane, both of whom impressed, and in the second half Shane Long had a good game.

But overall, we worked well as a team and it is important that the players get to know the system.”

On Duffy’s injury Trapattoni added: “Our thoughts are with Shane and we wish him a speedy recovery.”

Lawrence admitted to being slightly relieved that the seniors had got their goals late on after what had been a decidedly slow start. “The first half wasn’t the best but we got better as it went on and I’m glad we won the game.

“We struggled to do most things in the first half, we didn’t get hold of the ball, pass it, hold it up so it was a bit of a grind. But in the second half we did a lot better and got the two goals.”

The 28-year-old went on to confirm that he has told Stoke boss Tony Pulis that he wants to leave the Britannia Stadium outfit, in part because he wants to cement his place in the Irish set-up, with Wolves apparently the leading contender to recruit him for next season.

“It’s just football reasons,” he said. “I love the club and the fans are amazing but on a pure football basis I need to be playing a bit more regularly so I’ve to move.”

Asked about the possibility of linking up again with Mick McCarthy, the man who brought him to Sunderland back in 2004, he said: “Maybe, I don’t know, you’ll have to speak to Mick. He gave me my chance when he signed me from Mansfield and he’s a great manager. He’s done an amazing job this year keeping them up. As I say, I haven’t said I’m going there, but you never know.”

Keith Fahey, meanwhile, revealed that he has agreed a new three-year deal with Birmingham City.