Duffy pays tribute to Brighton as he recovers from injury to line out for Ireland

One of Shane Duffy’s first thoughts after emerging “knackered” but alright from the 90 minutes in Tbilisi was to pay tribute to Brighton for not standing in the way of his international commitments despite their initial fears that his calf injury would be of a much longer duration.

“They’ve been brilliant, I must say that, just thanks to them,” said the Derry man.

“They didn’t really want me to play because obviously it should have been four weeks but my body just recovered, I don’t know how. I had two scans on it but there was no chance I wasn’t getting there. I want to play for Ireland.”

On how things panned out on Saturday night, Duffy observed: “The result was alright but I think we were disappointed with how we played with the ball. I know we’re better than that. No matter what, you’re going to get lads giving everything, running around, the minimum we always give.

"But I thought we should have been better on the ball. We let them control the game, which was the most disappointing thing.

“It was our game plan to go there and press them, dominate the ball, and dominate them like the first game. But football is funny, you get them games when it isn’t sticking. It was just sort of backs against the wall. I’m glad we’ve put it behind us. We have to take the positives from it: we’re still unbeaten, why can’t we beat Switzerland?”

And if his club mate Aaron Connolly is asked to start in Geneva?

No problem for him. He’s mature for his age. He’s playing in the Premier League, you all saw him against Tottenham. He thrives off big moments, he thrives off big games and that’s what he wants.

"He loves scoring goals and he always will, whatever level he plays at and hopefully for Ireland. But you can’t put too much pressure on him, he’s only a kid and he’s played three or four (senior) games in his career. So let him ease into it and hopefully in five or 10 years’ time, we’re talking about a great player.

“But he’s been brilliant. I’m looking after him. He’s a great kid. I’m just trying to keep him settled, keep his feet on the ground. It’s been coming, I’ve been working with him now for two years and he’s been unlucky not to be playing more with us. I don’t like playing him in training every day. I love him to bits and hopefully he can do it for Ireland as well. I thought he made the difference when he came on (in Tbilisi). The future is bright for him.”

And what of the very immediate future for Shane Duffy? Any doubts at all about his fitness for tomorrow night?

The answer is unequivocal.

“Non stop me,” he says. ”I’m good.”

Duffy’s partnership with John Egan was the undoubtedly the highlight of Ireland’s display in Tbilisi, the Corkman delivering an assured performance that belied his relative international inexperience, and even going so far as to almost, but not quite, emulate the Derryman with an early goal against the Georgians.

“I thought it was in,” the Sheffield United defender admitted.

Unfortunately it hit the post and bounced out. On another day, it does go in, but it’s one of those things.

At least it went better for him at the other end where, despite Georgia’s dominance of possession, a clean sheet was comfortably secured by what already has the look of being the long-term future of the Irish central defence.

For his part, Egan had nothing but admiration for Duffy’s determination to make the game — and then make his usual impact on it.

“Do you know, it shows the character of the man,” he said. “There was no way he was going to miss it and I think it showed by his performance: full-blooded, full throttle. And he’s always like that.”