Graham Cummins: The trouble with returning to the League of Ireland from across the water...

In my first season returning from the UK, I managed to get 14 league goals as well as a number of assists but I felt I was deemed a failure by a lot of supporters

TARGET MAN: St Pat's striker Eoin Doyle tussles with Sam Todd of UCD in Belfield. 

THOUGH they are third in the Premier Division table, it's been a disappointing start to the season for St Patrick’s Athletic. I would have thought that winning the FAI Cup last season would have been a platform for the club to build on and really push for the league title, but they are under-achieving this campaign. 

Of course, their cause was not helped by the fact that they have lost a host of players as well as their manager, but apart from one impressive result against Shamrock Rovers, Tim Clancy’s side have failed against the top teams. Tonight third-placed St Pat's entertain leaders Derry City and the home side will be expected to deliver a winning performance, otherwise the second-best supported club in the country will find themselves slipping down the attendances table as well as the league table.