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99 caps and one big problem for Damien Duff
In the only time Jay-Z and Damien Duff will meet in a headline, thanks to a screw up by Hungary, the retired winger apparently only has 99 Ireland caps, not 100.
We were very sad to see Damien Duff retire from international football last month. The Dubliner had been a great servant to the Irish cause, though, and he appropriately ended his career at the Euros, against Italy, captaining the team while winning his 100th cap. Aside from the result, it was as classy a finish as his career merited.
But now it seems that fairytale ending to the Duff story has been shattered. According to today’s Irish Daily Star, Duffer is now back on 99 caps after an admin balls-up by Hungary.
Ireland played a dull 0-0 draw with Hungary in Budapest on June 4 but it seems the game will not now be logged by Fifa as a full international because of the referee.
Kenn Hansen from Denmark was not appointed correctly by the Hungarian FA according to Fifa, and a spokesperson from football's governing body has told the Star that the game could not now be registered as an “A” match. The game has not been included on Fifa’s official list of results for Ireland and the result has not been included in calculating the rankings.
As well as leaving Duff on an inelegant 99 (though it boosts Marco Tardelli’s hopes of getting him back for Germany now, right?) it drops another retiree Shay Given to 124 while Robbie Keane is now back to 120.
It leaves Ireland with just four centurions now, Given, Keane, Kevin Kilbane and Steve Staunton.
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