By Steve Neville
Dundalk winger Michael Duffy has capped off a fine September by being named SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers’ Association Player of the Month.
The winger has been one of Dundalk’s star players this year and had month to remember, scoring three goals.
One of those was the winner against Shamrock Rovers, which sealed the title for Dundalk – the club’s fifth in six years.
Duffy also helped his side with a goal League Cup win over Derry and he may yet be a treble winner if the Lilywhites can beat Rovers in the FAI Cup next month.
The 25-year-old admitted it had been a “mad” month.
“It’s one that we’ll all look back on fondly,” said the Derry native.
“I was pleased because I chipped in a few big goals. There were a couple of games where I was quiet, like the EA Sports Cup final.
“I didn’t see much of the ball, but to score the winner right at the end was unbelievable.
“Everything just seemed to fall for me, and I was in the right place at the right time.
“To win the title the way we did against Shamrock Rovers made it a special night.”
Duffy, who saw off club-mate Chris Shields and Rovers striker Aaron Greene to win the POTM award, admitted that his side are excited about the FAI Cup final.
Victory will see Dundalk become the first club to do the domestic treble since Derry City in 1989.
“We want to finish strongly in our last two league games, but all eyes will be on the FAI Cup final now. It’s going to be a massive day,” Duffy said.
“If we could do the treble, I wouldn’t even know how to describe it.
“The fact that 30 years have passed since the last team achieved it shows that it’s not something that comes around very often.
“The boys will never forget the success they had in Europe, but if we can pull this off it will be something that stands to us for the rest of our lives.”