Half-way point of view

As we approach the half way point in the season, it is time to reflect on the campaign so far. The league in particular has been full of surprises and our position is certainly one not many would have predicted at the start of the season.

Due to the financial problems over the last number of years, clubs have not been able to have the large squad which was common place in previous seasons. Instead, clubs are signing 13 or 14 players and giving a chance to young players to make up the rest of the squad. The new approach seems to be working and with no headlines about financial trouble so far (fingers crossed), things seem to be better all round.

The St. Pats half term report reads well, especially when you compare it to last season. We are currently sitting in second place with a game in hand on the leaders and are into the next round of the FAI Cup. If we had been offered that at the start of the season before a ball was kicked, we would have snapped your hand off.

We have just one game to go before the break, if we do our part and pick up three points, we could see ourselves sitting at the summit of the table for the mid-season break - that would look great. Last Tuesday, we suffered a bit of a setback in our season. Facing Sligo for the fourth time already this season, we always knew they would be looking to make up for the three defeats we had inflicted on them so far this season. The game finished 4-1 to Sligo, and credit must be given to Paul Cook's side for the quality of football they produced on the night. It was far and away the best team performance I have seen this year, the signing of Joesph Ndo has seen them go from strength to strength.

We didn't have long to dwell on the result from Tuesday due to the fact we faced the league leaders in Oreil Park three days later in the first round of the cup.

Once the draw for this year’s FAI cup was completed, the stand out tie of the round was, Pats versus Dundalk. The last time we won the cup was 1961, that has been far too long and it is on the players mind this year to try and correct this. A nice easy start then, Dundalk away!!

The game probably didn't live up to the free flowing football some predicted, but there certainly was drama on the night. The fact that Dundalk had three players sent off explains the type of game it was. We played the majority of the game versus nine players and we struggled at times to open them up partly because of our careless passing and their excellent defending, Thankfully Brian Cash came off the bench to scramble the ball home with a few minutes to go in the second half.

It is often said, if your team is in the draw for the next round of the cup, no matter how you got there, it is a good thing. On this occasion, that would certainly apply to us.

Tonight, we face Bray in our last match before the break. If we manage to do our job and pick up three points, there is a great chance we could go top of the table for the mid-season break. It would be a nice place to be when I am off enjoying my holidays.

On Friday the World Cup begins. I can't wait for it, and even with all the high profile injuries, I think it should be a great tournament. My tip for this year is England, even with all their injuries. The fact that Fabio Capello is in charge, I can see him bringing a belief to that squad that they can do it. They need Rooney to hit form, but I don't think that will be a problem. I can't wait for a full month of football.