IT'S A FINE START BUT WE'RE FAR FROM VINISHED; RICHMOND ST PAT'S v DROGHEDA UTD PARK, 7.45PM: Faherty: If we keep up the hard work we can contend.

Byline: PAUL O'HEHIR

VINNY Faherty has revealed the secret of St Pat's success this season - hard work.

The striker is making waves in Inchicore having joined from Galway United over the winter after penniless Crystal Palace couldn't follow-up their interest in the 22-year-old.

Faherty was a key player at Galway last year but feels more settled at the Saints as everyone is putting the effort in and there are no big time Charlies throwing spanners in the works.

Ahead of tonight's home clash with Drogheda United, he said: "At Galway there were guys there that had a little bit of ego and it's hard to play with guys like that.

"If one or two guys aren't giving 100 per cent then that kills everyone - that's what happened.

"Thankfully here everyone gives 100 per cent and if not, Pete (Mahon, inset) whips them off. There are no cliques up here - nothing.

"When I came to Pats, I saw the guys they'd signed and I knew it was going to work out.

"I was at Crystal Palace for a while but there was nothing really happening. They weren't training and the reserve games were all getting called off.

"I found out after about a week or two that a lot of guys hadn't got paid their wages. I tried to get a move elsewhere, but clubs weren't able to sign anyone and there was very little movement.

"I wanted to try my hand over there as England is obviously somewhere I want to be, but when Pat's came in I knew that this was the place I wanted to be."

Pat's have made an excellent start to the season and lead the Premier Division by a single point going into today's games. They have also conceded just one goal in six league outings.

They drew 1-1 at Bohemians during the week - and that result proved that Pat's have the guts to put it up to any opponent on any given day. And the Saints are desperate to prove they are no flash in the pan and are in this title race for the long haul.

"What we have this year is lads who are really hungry," added Faherty. "You can see it, from back to front, we're just working 100 per cent and giving everything we have.

"We're defending from the front and it runs right throughout the team. When we don't concede everyone deserves the credit, not just defenders. Just like when we score, it's not just the strikers who deserve the credit."

Faherty has weighed in with three League goals to date in the new-look St Pat's attack. Indeed, fans went into the season not knowing what to expect from the Galway man and his strike partners Alex Williams and Paul Byrne.

Faherty has partnered Williams in most of the games - but Byrne was given the nod against Bohs on Tuesday with Williams dropping to the bench.

Faherty, who shares an apartment with Williams, added: "We're all hungry. I want to score goals and I want to do as well as I can and I'm sure it's the same for those other two boys.

"Paul deserved his chance to start on Tuesday as he's done well when he's come on. He is a big presence up front and he's also a nice guy to play off because generally I'm the guy they play to.

"But I prefer to be nipping in around and getting stuff off another player. That's what I prefer. But with every club I've been at I'm the go-to man. No manager has ever seen me as the guy that plays like that."

CAPTION(S):

FLYING nVinny Faherty SETTLING n McCabe is Sligo following Bray Wanderers UP J FOR THE FIGHT Vinny Faherty says hard work is the key to St Pat's success so far

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Title Annotation:	Sport
Publication:	The Mirror (London, England)
Geographic Code:	4EUIR
Date:	Apr 9, 2010
Words:	638
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