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In 1999 Dillon and Duffy were minor footballers, now they're back as Mayo senior teammates

Alan Dillon on life back playing alongside the former Connacht rugby player.

Gavin Duffy, back row second right, and Alan Dillon, back row right, before the 1999 All-Ireland minor football final. Tom Honan / INPHO Tom Honan / INPHO / INPHO

ITโ€™S FOURTEEN YEARS since Alan Dillon and Gavin Duffy shared a dressing-room on a Mayo team that journeyed to the All-Ireland minor football final.

Defeat was their lot on that occasion by three points against Down in Croke Park. They went on their seperate sporting paths after that โ€“ Dillon ploughing furrow with the Mayo senior setup and Duffy forging a career with Connacht and Harlequins.

Now theyโ€™re back together as teammates following the high-profile recent addition of Duffy to the Mayo senior setup. Next Sunday, Mayo are in championship action in the Connacht semi-final against Roscommon.

Dillon is the only survivor from that Mayo 1999 team still involved in the senior squad, placing him as an ideal candidate to speak of Duffyโ€™s potential.

โ€œHe was the powerhouse in the midfield department. He was way more developed than a lot of us at that stage in 1999. I would have followed him with Connacht and with Ireland. Itโ€™s great to have him back. Heโ€™s a good fella around the camp.

โ€œHe keeps everyone honest and heโ€™ll add that couple of percent to everyoneโ€™s game that is of benefit to the overall squad. Heโ€™s equipping himself well in training and heโ€™s physical. His physical presence is something that we probably didnโ€™t have bar Aidan and Seamie Oโ€™Shea in that middle third department.โ€

Alan Dillon Mayo's Alan Dillon is a brand ambassador for Irish sports nutritional brand Kinetica Sports. For more information log onto www.kineticasports.com Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

Duffy may have been the midfield king back in minor days but itโ€™s still unclear where he is best suited to on the senior stage.

โ€œItโ€™s up in the air,โ€ says Dillon. โ€œWe probably need to see a bit more of where heโ€™s most comfortable. But in and around that area in training heโ€™s a hard man to have.

โ€œI wouldnโ€™t say heโ€™s a manufactured footballer, he has natural ability. If you compare him to different footballers, heโ€™s similar to some of our current lads. Heโ€™s not a million miles off. It will take time to feel comfortable in that environment and playing with that intensity.

โ€œFrom speaking to him, the big thing he notices is the quickness of the turn of the feet, that type of stuff. Itโ€™s just the intensity of the game and where itโ€™s gone from when he was 18 or 19 years of age. Heโ€™s come to grips with it, the five-a-side games, the crossfield games, the simulate games โ€“ heโ€™s learning every time.โ€

The Mayo Minor team celebrate 18/7/2999 Duffy, back row second from left, and Dillon, front row fourth from left, after the 1999 Connacht minor final win over Galway. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO

After the disappointment of Mayo losing two All-Ireland finals, Duffyโ€™s arrival has been a boost to their camp. His experience as a professional sports person has been tapped into.

โ€œLads would bounce ideas off him,โ€ reveals Dillon. โ€œTry and dissect what he was doing at the professional level, like how Ireland did in 2011 in the World Cup? How did they react to that?

โ€œItโ€™s not a thing like he gives open presentations and that type of stuff. Itโ€™s an internal thing. Heโ€™s an addition. First of all, heโ€™s a Mayo man so James (Horan) is entitled to bring him back, even if he was playing club football. Heโ€™s part of the squad, thatโ€™s the most important thing.โ€

Patrick Bolger / INPHO Patrick Bolger / INPHO / INPHO

Mayo boss James Horan โ€˜excitedโ€™ about progress from rugby convert Gavin Duffy

โ€˜It was hard to field anything around himโ€™ โ€“ Billy Joe on his Mayo minor days with Gavin Duffy

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    Mute G
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    Oct 16th 2021, 2:56 PM

    Great save by Kelleher near the end. Comfortable afternoon for him

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    Mute Robert Clifford
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    Oct 16th 2021, 2:56 PM

    Top player.

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    Mute Ger Power
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    Oct 16th 2021, 3:42 PM

    Super performance and result albeit against a woeful Watford. Unlikely to be a worse performance by any PL team this season. Salah is unbelievable and his goal was magical, give him the contract his performances and goals deserve. Great to see Firmino scoring. Though Kelleher had nothing to do he kept his concentration to make a very good save at the end. Gonna be a tight title race. Surprised Salah and Mane played the 90 minutes, Minamino could have done with game time especially against that Watford team.

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    Mute Elvis
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    Oct 16th 2021, 4:49 PM

    Mo Salah is WOW!!! a pleasure to watch himโ€ฆ..Firmino not bad either : )

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    Mute John S
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    Oct 16th 2021, 3:11 PM

    Time to sack Ranieriโ€ฆโ€ฆ.

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    Mute Heckler davies
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    Oct 16th 2021, 10:05 PM

    @John S: dilly ding dilly dong

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    Mute Seร n Mc
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    Oct 16th 2021, 10:12 PM

    @Heckler davies: dilly ding, dilly gone

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    Mute Scott Crossfield
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    Oct 16th 2021, 3:12 PM

    Class win and 3 more handy points. We will be hard to stop This season as we put last seasons blip behind us

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    Mute WESHALLNOTBEMOVED
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    Oct 16th 2021, 3:01 PM

    Danny Rose will sleep tonight. Great performance against an albeit poor side!!

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    Mute Tomas Ryan
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    Oct 16th 2021, 4:56 PM

    Give Mo all the money. Almost 0% chance of being able to replace him

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    Mute Gerard McAuliffe
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    Oct 16th 2021, 4:31 PM

    Lewandowski and Salah are the best players in the world on current form.

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    Mute Ottomaaan
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    Oct 16th 2021, 2:59 PM

    I donโ€™t think Iโ€™ve ever seen a PL side as bad as that Watford side todayโ€ฆ.if they lost 10-0 it wouldnโ€™t have been a surprise! Woefulโ€ฆ

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    Mute Gordon Larney
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    Oct 16th 2021, 3:12 PM

    @Ottomaaan: you forgot to mention that they were up against a solid side with a rampant front three, there, I fixed it for youโ€ฆ. :)

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    Mute Ottomaaan
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    Oct 16th 2021, 4:27 PM

    @Gordon Larney: no need to fix anything. That was the worst performance Iโ€™ve ever seen from a PL side, dreadful stuff and Liverpool could have put 10 past them.

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    Mute JonnyBgood
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    Oct 16th 2021, 5:09 PM

    @Ottomaaan: have to agree. I was at the game and never seen such a bad performance from a PL team.

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    Mute Finn Faulkner
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    Oct 16th 2021, 4:12 PM

    Salah in great form. But how long canhe hold that form? He has 20-25 goals in him a season, but heโ€™s up and down. If he held this form, heโ€™d be close to 40 goals?
    Bigger tests against Athletico and United on the way.

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    Mute len len
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    Oct 16th 2021, 4:28 PM

    @Finn Faulkner: did you like your own commentโ€ฆ

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    Mute WESHALLNOTBEMOVED
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    Oct 16th 2021, 4:28 PM

    @Finn Faulkner: how long can he do that. ? He has been doing it for the last 4 seasons. 104 goals in 166 games in the Premier league but you think he should score more. Okay so

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    Mute John Hayes
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    Oct 16th 2021, 5:04 PM

    @Finn Faulkner: youโ€™re gonna need bigger bait on that hook โ€ฆ.

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    Mute Finn Faulkner
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    Oct 16th 2021, 5:55 PM

    @WESHALLNOTBEMOVED: But by that metric 4 seasons at 40 goals would be 160 goals. He hasn t done that. But my point is that if he can keep that killer hat on his head for a prolonged period, and with our squad almost injury free, he could break records for us. Iโ€™m HOPING he keeps this lethal form indefinitely. He still canโ€™t be put in the Messi/Ronaldo category until he starts being seriously clinical. Iโ€™d love to see him win the Balloon dโ€™Or this year (or the next)

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    Mute Finn Faulkner
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    Oct 16th 2021, 5:56 PM

    @len len: No, but seeing as you need likes, here, have mine. Have a lovely day.

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    Mute Shane Roche
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    Oct 16th 2021, 6:10 PM

    @WESHALLNOTBEMOVED: you included his Chelsea stats there, itโ€™s 102 in 153 for Liverpool

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    Mute Finn Faulkner
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    Oct 16th 2021, 7:38 PM

    @Shane Roche: Itโ€™s still an amazing number of goals per season, but I think he can go even further, he needs to keep this current form. Biggest tests are against Athletico and then United.

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    Mute Victor Feldman
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    Oct 17th 2021, 1:02 AM

    That salah. Goal was pure roy of the rovers.. Pure art.. He must be a great dancer..

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    Mute Seymour business
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    Oct 17th 2021, 2:02 AM

    As good as Liverpool are, and they are really good. This in my opinion is all about Klopp.

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