Mikey Drennan readily admits that the end of the season is coming at a bad time for him.
Sligo Rovers have had their struggles, but the striker is in a rich vein of form in front of goals.
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The former Shamrock Rovers players returned to top-flight football in June after a two-year absence where he juggled non-league football with Evergreen and hurling with his local club James Stephens, figuring in last year’s county final.
The 24-year-old joined a team low on confidence and struggling to find the back of the net, and since the injury and subsequent departure of Adam Morgan, has led the attack for the Bit O’Red.
He has plundered six goals in the last month as Gerard Lyttle’s side have moved in the right direction in the league table, and also have advanced in the their second year competing in the Irn Bru Cup.
For the former Aston Villa youth player, it has been a welcome return to action.
"I’m happy that I’m back and back at what I love doing. I couldn’t be happier," he told RTÉ Sport.
"It’s gone better than I had expected."
Sligo have downed champions Cork City on the road, left the capital on three occasions with maximum points and almost emerged from Oriel Park with a draw, but it is the home form which has left supporters frustrated at times.
Two wins all year has made it a difficult year for their fans.
"Dire" is how Drennan sums up their performances at the Showgrounds, but believes the league table could easily have a different complexion.
"The position we are in is false. If we turned even three or four home games into wins, then we would be in-and-around top-four."
A streak of goals has naturally done wonders for confidence – "that’s what I came here to do" – and after signing an initial contract until the end of the season, he is keen to maintain that vein of form and help force the club’s hand.
"When you are getting a run of games and you are the main man up front, it’s a great boost. To keep that position you have got to keep working hard.
"I’m doing that and keeping my head down. I feel I am a more mature, professional player. The end of the season is probably coming at the wrong time for me.
"I’d love to stay. If the manager wants me, I’d happily stay."
In the immediate term, as well as signing off the domestic season on a positive note – Rovers are 11 points clear of second-from-bottom Limerick with five league games remaining – Drennan has his sights set on silverware.
Rovers, along with Bohemians, joined teams from the Scottish Championship, Scottish League One and Scottish League Two, the Scottish semi-pro league, plus representatives from England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Scottish Premier Division sides are represented by their Under-21 teams, and Sligo now find themselves pitted against Motherwell Colts in next month’s third round clash at Fir Park.
"As a striker it’s always a special moment to bag a hat-trick and for that to be recognised by the fans for the Player of the Week tops it all off"
Of the 58 teams that began, Rovers are bidding to reach the last eight and will be buoyed by their 4-1 victory last time out over Livingston Colts, a game that saw Drennan scoop the match-ball and the Player of the Round accolade for his hat-trick exploits.
He hasn’t seen the match footage, but recalling his goals comes easy.
The first he peeled off the defender and rifled home a half-volley. He followed that with a header and sealed the game by running onto Lewis Morrison’s through ball to coolly dispatch the one-one-one.
"I feel I should have five or six goals, so I’m a little bit disappointed with that, but it’s still nice to have that and I’d hope to have double figures by the end of the season.
"As a striker it’s always a special moment to bag a hat-trick and for that to be recognised by the fans for the Player of the Round tops it all off. I’m proud to win the award for Sligo Rovers and to have helped the team reach the next stage."
Now that they find themselves in with a genuine chance of winning the competition, something the striker is all too aware of, it could take on a different dimension for Sligo.
"You want to win trophies. There’s no point going into a competition half-hearted. Not many people lift a trophy in their careers, no matter what that is."
A home-bird by nature, he hasn’t returned to Kilkenny once as he concentrates on putting his best foot forward for Sligo.
It helps, he says, by the atmosphere within finds himself in. He lives with Patrick McClean and Rhys McCabe, the former a brother of Republic of Ireland international James, and the latter a player with experience at a high level in the Championship and Scottish Premiership with Rangers.
"I do all the cooking and cleaning. I like clean and tidy, Paddy is probably the opposite" – and says the dressing room vibe, despite their struggles, is one of the best he has ever experienced.
"We have a good group and we get on really well."
A big season finale awaits for Drennan as Sligo look to finish on a high.
