Cup holds high hopes for Derry targetman

Like everybody around the Brandywell, striker Michael McHugh will be pinning his hopes on the Harp Lager FAI Cup this weekend. Like the club he joined in the summer from Omagh Town, McHugh hasn't been enjoying the most memorable of seasons but as long as City's dream of reaching the cup final remains alive, he knows there is still the chance that he can prove his worth to the supporters and end the season on the sort of high he was becoming used to during his three seasons in the Irish League.

Such was the Donegal-man's form last season, in fact, that news of his impending departure sparked a scramble from interested clubs on both sides of the border. Harps, on the look-out for options up front and keen to add a local man to their squad, chased particularly hard, but with Jonathan Speak and James Mulligan on the books they just weren't as anxious as City to make the signing and eventually McHugh signed what was said to be a highly attractive deal with Felix Healy.

Given that City had been cutting back on their wage bill wherever possible it was obvious just how important a part Healy felt the new man could play for City this season and McHugh, while aware that there was unlikely to be as many goal-scoring opportunities in the National League, shared his new boss's optimism.

"Well, it's a bit tighter all right, more defensive but I'd been told by a lot of people that it would be like that so I can't say I was particularly surprised. I suppose the difference has been a little harder to get used to than I expected because in the Irish League teams that are one up will tend to look to go on and score three or four whereas here they'll tend to defend the lead, but I'd still have to say that I'm a little disappointed that I haven't scored more."

Having scored more than 30 in all competitions for Omagh last season, McHugh has managed just five goals in 25 starts this season, the last of which came five games ago against the team that almost signed him - Finn Harps. His striking partner, though, has been faring a good deal better. Liam Coyle is playing some of his best football for several seasons and has scored 11 goals.

All of that earned him a call-up to Dave Barry's National League panel recently and McHugh takes some comfort from the fact that the pair's partnership seems to be working well. Nevertheless the former Swilly Rovers, Bradford City and Scarborough player admits to feeling the pressure a little even if Healy's replacement at the club, Kevin Mahon, has done his best to shield him from it.

"He's been very good to me," said McHugh, "saying how important I am to the team in other ways and all that. And it's been nice to help Liam score a couple of his, but I know I should be getting more myself and that's a little bit frustrating."

Overall the team's strike-rate has been decent enough with 29 league goals helping to keep them firmly in the hunt for third place. That, however, simply has the effect of heightening the pressure to perform on McHugh who knows that even at this stage he has it within him to make all the difference to the club's season.

"The target is still very much to finish third and we think that we can do that. There isn't very much between a lot of the teams chasing that third spot and we're on a bit of a run right now. We're also the only ones to have played the top two in the third round of matches, which should count for something.

"In terms of winning something, though, we know it's going to have to be the cup and that means beating Shelbourne this weekend. I hadn't actually realised just how good their record has been in the cup over the last 10 years until somebody pointed it out to me - it's incredible - and then this season they've already beaten Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians.

"On that basis, I think we'll be taking them as favourites when they come up here, but it means an awful lot to us to win and I think we'll show them that on Sunday afternoon."