Duff set to start for Ireland

Last updated : 01 March 2006 By Tony Scholes

Duff joined the Clarets having already won three full caps, although all of them had been as a substitute. He followed that up with two more sub appearances after joining the Clarets, the last of them being their historic win over England last September when he was introduced late in the game.

A month later he got his first start against Wales and retained his place in the side four days later when they played Austria in Vienna, and tonight it looks as though his eighth cap will be another start.

Coach Lawrie Sanchez has said that Duff is likely to start along with Ivan Sproule (Hibs), Chris Brunt (Sheffield Wednesday) and Warren Feeney (Luton) as preparations start for the Euro 2008 qualifiers.

Michael Duff hasn’t been the only one wearing the green jersey this week. Last night Kyle Lafferty played virtually the whole game for the Northern Ireland Under-21s as they won 1-0 against Brian Flynn’s Welsh side in Llanelli. Kyle has become the third Claret to be capped at this level, following on from Dimitri Papadopoulos and Richard Chaplow.

Finally, Martin Reilly, released by the Clarets last week, made his international bow coming on as a late substitute in the Republic of Ireland’s draw with Scotland at Under-19 level.