Ruaidhri Higgins says it would be 'irresponsible' to rush back Michael Duffy

It was hoped Duffy would be available for selection for Friday's trip to Tolka Park after missing the opening three matches of the season with a hamstring injury. However, Higgins claimed it ‘doesn’t make sense’ to take any risks with the Galliagh man, particularly given the Candy Stripes’ encouraging start to the new season.

“If we had only taken a point from the opening three games we might have been tempted to rush him back but it just doesn’t make any sense to me with so many games,” said Higgins.

“The nature of the injury, you can’t be too aggressive on your return from a hamstring injury. You have to hit different targets to make sure you’re ready to go. He’s slowly but surely getting back up to speed but it would be irresponsible of me and the staff and the medical team if we rushed him back too soon.

“Our decision will be based on the season rather than on the next week or so.”

While Duffy netted the winner the last time Derry won at Tolka Park in 2013 - one of his 20 goals scored in 78 appearances for City, Higgins does have the ‘luxury’ of being able to call upon new signing Matty Smith and the returning Ronan Boyce for the trip to Dublin.

Considering the injuries to key players at such an early juncture of the season, the Derry supremo is delighted with how things are progressing with five points from three tough opening matches.

“I’m really happy with the start we’ve made given our injuries. We haven’t had Michael Duffy yet, Matty Smith and Ronan Boyce are just coming back, Evan McLaughlin we haven’t had and Patrick McEleney is just getting himself going.

“That’s five or six players who are crucial to this group who we haven’t had the luxury of using, fully fit yet. I think we’re actually in a really good position but we have to keep trying to put points on the board and drive it on.”

Derry go into the Shels match on the back of Monday’s scoreless draw with Sligo Rovers and Higgins felt the opening 35 minutes of that clash at Brandywell was the best his team has played since he’s taken charge.

However, the exertions of the previous Friday’s dramatic win over Shamrock Rovers clearly took its toll as the home side lacked energy in the second period. Higgins insists the energy levels have been raised once again in training this week ahead of a difficult test against Damien Duff’s troops.

“It’s been great (training). The players are upbeat,” he insisted.

Higgins though is taking nothing for granted going despite performing impressively against Dundalk, Rovers and Sligo in the opening three games. Indeed he’s insisting his team must work just as hard to get anything from the next three fixtures on the road against Shels, UCD and Drogheda.

“You can see the league already, no one has taken maximum points and some teams have only played two. Nobody has won all their games which shows already how teams are going to take points off each other all over the place. Every game has different challenges. If you turn your nose up at anybody in this league you get turned over. It’s as simple as that.

“UCD for example, went to Shamrock Rovers and lost 3-0 but they could’ve been 2-0 up before Rovers scored so it’s fine margins that win football matches. We’ve done nothing to take anybody lightly so we have to be fully focused and not look past the next game.”