Trap hopeful Duffy will play again soon

GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI is confident that Shane Duffy can be back in football by the autumn.

Speaking at the Irish squad’s training base in Malahide, the manager said: “We are optimistic and all the doctors are optimistic. They think in about three or four months, he can play. But what is important now is he is recovering, he is conscious and he is not in danger, as he was in the first two days.”

Such is the encouraging rate of Duffy’s progress after undergoing life-saving surgery on Friday night following a freak training game accident, there were indications yesterday that the 18-year-old was ready to be moved from the High Dependency Unit at the Mater Hospital before a possible discharge as early as the end of the week.