Duffy delighted with return to action

The defender made it through the entire 90 minutes of Everton Reserves' 2-0 defeat to Sligo Rovers last Sunday, and showed plenty of courage.

The match was his first outing since undergoing life-saving surgery after a freak accident while training with the Republic of Ireland squad at the end of last season.

The teenage star had been hoping to see action again before Christmas, but found himself back in the thick of it just 10 weeks after the incident. Medics with the Republic have been credited with saving his life, because they recognised immediately the seriousness of the injury and took prompt action.

His parents were in the crowd to watch him play again, so soon after watching him fight to stay alive.

The Londonderry lad admitted that he was nervous at first.

"It was important for me, not probably for the team, but for me because it was much first match back," the central defender told evertontv, according to a report on the official Everton website.

"But I just eased into the game and I felt good half way through. It just felt great to be back on the pitch. In the first couple (of tackles) I was nervous - after bumps with the keeper and a couple of crosses. I'm just going to have to get on with it and hopefully my confidence will come back sooner rather than later.

"It's not usually like me (to react) but I was lying on the ground and I got kneed where I'd just had the operation. But I apologised for it and hopefully he is alright.

"My fitness is increasing every day - which is good for me, but I'll say maybe a couple more weeks and I should be reaching the other lads because they've had five games now. It's my first game back, so hopefully I can catch up with them and push on from there.

"I'm just over the moon to be back on the pitch to be honest."

Former Sligo Rovers star, Seamus Coleman, played a small part in the game, having featured heavily in Everton's first team squad during pre-season matches.

He said it was "brilliant" to see Duffy back, and that many people realised how he was "very close to maybe not even being here".