Duff ‘touch and go’ for Italy clash

ALTHOUGH Damien Duff will not be fit to play for Fulham in Sunday’s game against West Ham, there is growing hope that the winger might yet be available for Ireland’s World Cup qualifier against Italy at Croke Park on Saturday week.

After Duff limped off with a calf injury early in last Sunday’s game against Arsenal, his club initially predicted a lay-off of up to three weeks.

But, following a scan which apparently showed that the injury was low grade, Fulham have now offered a more optimistic prognosis, even though manager Roy Hodgson says Duff’s availability for the Italy game – which is followed four days later by the final qualifier against Montenegro – remains “touch and go”.