Shane Duffy is improving all the time.
At 24, he’s playing commanding football, he’s barking orders and he’s shrinking for no-one.
He’s a mainstay on a Brighton team that has conceded fewer than everyone else in the Championship and his opener at Ewood Park on Tuesday night helped them on their way to a 3-2 victory over Blackburn en route to the top of the table.
The Republic of Ireland international had an unprecedented rise through his country’s ranks during 2016.
It was only in March that he was given a chance in a friendly and shone with audible presence. He wasn’t even in contention to go to France originally and then, by the end of the Euro 2016 tournament, he had forced Martin O’Neill’s hand so there was no other option but to start him.
During the second round against the hosts, he was sent off and caught out of position at one stage but he had shown enough in a few wild months that he was the future of the country.
He fronted up afterwards though and he spoke with the maturity that he so often plays with.
“I felt comfortable out there,” he said at the time. “I felt like I could play at this level. I feel like I’ve done alright, obviously the red card hasn’t helped me.
“It’s been a great experience for me. To come in so late and play a part is special.
“The Italian game was special. To even be here – it was such a big game [against France] on the world stage – and to play a part in it… it was disappointing in the second half how it finished for me but I’ll take positives out of it.
“I’ll hold my head up high, learn from my mistakes and try to do better next time.”
Well, in the fallout from the summer, the Derry man left Blackburn and now he’s flying high with Brighton and Hove Albion.
He’s a Brighton player now so it didn’t matter a jot to him that he was playing against his old club – he was happy to score and he bloody well showed it, getting booed by his old supporters or not.
Shane Duffy doesn't give a f**k pic.twitter.com/rJyWbfKZ3p
— Conán Doherty (@ConanDoherty) December 13, 2016
It’s another plague on the modern game, boys almost pretending like they didn’t mean to score when they’ve shot directly at the goals. It’s almost disrespectful to your new club, this feigning that your heart is still elsewhere business.
Duffy has left Blackburn, he’ll never be back and he’s doing all he can to return to the Premier League and get there with Brighton. Fair play to him.
Diarmuid Connolly makes his long overdue GAA Hour debut and talks to Colm Parkinson about everything from the black card to his rivalry with Lee Keegan and how he honed the ability to kick accurately with either foot.
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