Daily Star, UK
Oct 8 2011
DAMIEN DUFF CONFIDENT IRELAND'S DEFENCE IS TOUGH ENOUGH FOR ARMENIA
By Cathal Dervan
DAMIEN Duff thinks even the free-scoring Armenians are going to find
it tough to break through Ireland's defence in their European
Championship showdown.
Giovanni Trapattoni's side made it eight clean sheets on the trot in
Friday night's 2-0 win away to Andorra.
Armenia are next up for the Irish and a ninth clean sheet in a row at
the Aviva Stadium will be enough to seal a play-off spot for Duff and
his team-mates.
Group B's top scorers go to Dublin with 21 goals to their credit from
just nine games in this Euro qualifying campaign, including four
against John Toshack's Macedonia on Friday - but Duff has warned them
it won't be easy to beat Shay Given.
`That's eight clean sheets on the bounce now which is some record - it
is going to take something special to stop it,' said the Fulham
winger.
`Since the manager came in, he has made us really well organised and
difficult to break down and the run we are on at the moment proves
that.
`It's going to be an interesting game against Armenia because they
have come with a late run in this group and they have been scoring a
lot of goals of late. Their attack is very dangerous and our defence
is very strong. It's going to be a fascinating battle.'
Like Duff, former Celtic winger Aiden McGeady believes Ireland might
finally get the credit they deserve for a 1-0 win away to Armenia in
their opening qualifier.
The Spartak Moscow star, who scored against Andorra on Friday, said:
`People said that was a bad result at the time - but they might have
changed their minds now.
`They are the form team in the group at the moment so we will have to
accept that it is going to be a tough game.
`The draw's enough for us but we want to win.'
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/214933/Damien-Duff-confident-Ireland-s-defence-is-tough-enough-for-Armenia/
Oct 8 2011
DAMIEN DUFF CONFIDENT IRELAND'S DEFENCE IS TOUGH ENOUGH FOR ARMENIA
By Cathal Dervan
DAMIEN Duff thinks even the free-scoring Armenians are going to find
it tough to break through Ireland's defence in their European
Championship showdown.
Giovanni Trapattoni's side made it eight clean sheets on the trot in
Friday night's 2-0 win away to Andorra.
Armenia are next up for the Irish and a ninth clean sheet in a row at
the Aviva Stadium will be enough to seal a play-off spot for Duff and
his team-mates.
Group B's top scorers go to Dublin with 21 goals to their credit from
just nine games in this Euro qualifying campaign, including four
against John Toshack's Macedonia on Friday - but Duff has warned them
it won't be easy to beat Shay Given.
`That's eight clean sheets on the bounce now which is some record - it
is going to take something special to stop it,' said the Fulham
winger.
`Since the manager came in, he has made us really well organised and
difficult to break down and the run we are on at the moment proves
that.
`It's going to be an interesting game against Armenia because they
have come with a late run in this group and they have been scoring a
lot of goals of late. Their attack is very dangerous and our defence
is very strong. It's going to be a fascinating battle.'
Like Duff, former Celtic winger Aiden McGeady believes Ireland might
finally get the credit they deserve for a 1-0 win away to Armenia in
their opening qualifier.
The Spartak Moscow star, who scored against Andorra on Friday, said:
`People said that was a bad result at the time - but they might have
changed their minds now.
`They are the form team in the group at the moment so we will have to
accept that it is going to be a tough game.
`The draw's enough for us but we want to win.'
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/214933/Damien-Duff-confident-Ireland-s-defence-is-tough-enough-for-Armenia/