“Shane Duffy could clear our national Debt” – A deserved tribute to the man of the match

Is there any place that the man won't put his head?

There were many heroes on that pitch tonight wearing an Ireland shirt but one man stood out above all the rest. Shane Duffy played out of his skin tonight. He cleared everything that came towards him. Some even say that Cyrus Christie had called for this ball, but Duffy went and headed it away regardless... All joking aside, we needed to leave Cardiff tonight without conceding a goal if we were to have any chance of going through. When our backs were against the wall in the first half, Duffy was solid and was throwing his body in front of any ball or any player that decided to set up camp in his territory. Again, when we went one-nil up. We have a tendency to get defensive when we're leading, we shut up shop, park the bus. Whatever you want to call it, it's what we do. Duffy was on the front line making sure that there was no chance of any high ball, low ball, cross or shot heading towards our goal in the dying moments. In the post-match analysis, Liam Brady told Darragh Maloney that Duffy had become better and better over the tournament. That, in the last few rounds of these qualifying matches, he had really emerged as a leader in this Irish squad and tonight he proved that he is no longer growing to be one of Ireland's most valuable players. He is one of Ireland's most valuable players. He was extremely modest in his post-match interview, he gave all the party lines about digging in deep and getting the win but one line stood out above them all.

"I get a buzz out of defending for my country." 

Shane Duffy, we get a buzz out of looking at you defending, congratulations on your deserved award. https://twitter.com/MrNiallMcGarry/status/917490889794220032 https://twitter.com/ImpressionistAL/status/917490352155701249 https://twitter.com/NormanMcCann/status/917488377301291010 https://twitter.com/patmccarry/status/917490602828357632   https://twitter.com/MoorePjm84/status/917490922849538048 https://twitter.com/PaddyLooby90/status/917490667378675718 https://twitter.com/1MylesDoran/status/917495785574584321 https://twitter.com/ciarancarr/status/917495268559474699