STEPHEN Kenny is as mystified as supporters with how the Saints’ league campaign has gone. But their manager is sure that they can halt the slide.
St Pat’s face Cork City tonight sixth in the table having won four of their last 13 games — two of those coming against tonight’s basement boys.
Kenny’s team were among the favourites for the title after last year’s finish of a nine-game winning run saw them secure third place and European football.
But similar to the 2024 and 2023 campaigns under different managers, pre-season expectation made way for disappointment due to erratic results.
Kenny said: “It’s possibly the third season in a row because there’s high expectations.
“It’s three years in a row where it’s been an underwhelming first period of the season but we had an outstanding second half.
“There’s a lot of expectation on us this year. We haven’t matched that expectation and we fell below the level of expectation.
“A lot of people tipped us for the title but we probably hadn’t earned that. We have fallen below the level and some players, for reasons I even can’t fully explain why, lost confidence.
“That’s difficult to understand why that can be, especially when they are training every day and applying themselves. Even for someone as experienced as myself, it’s not always clear.”
While Monday night’s 1-0 loss at home to Derry City saw them slip to a third defeat in a row, Kenny saw signs of recovery.
He added: “It wasn’t that we were unlucky. We were absolutely excellent. We were at a high level against Derry.
“It wasn’t that we had more chances than the opposition in a mediocre game. The level of our play was better than it has been in the last six or seven weeks.
“Our passing, moving, dynamism and worth ethic was the highest that it has been in a while.
“The five games in 14 days, they are periods that can either make or break your season. I usually look forward to that. But this is one we haven’t done well in and it has gone against us.
“We could have done a lot better over those four games and to be honest, we only have ourselves to answer for.”
Kenny also bemoaned a lack of luck — with the former Ireland chief believing his side were undone by an offside goal from Candystripes ace Liam Boyce.
He explained: “They had one chance and Liam Boyce was offside heading it. We don’t get the decision.
“But we had enough chances to win the game ourselves and we didn’t take them. We’re paying the price for that.
“We deserved to win without question but we have to score goals and they dried up.
“We were always capable of scoring goals and maybe we conceded more than we should have but we have stopped finishing and in the last ten days it has hurt us.
“We have to regroup and get a few wins to put us in those European places going into Europe.
“On the back of three defeats, we need to address that and get a win in Cork. I see how hard everyone works and that has to be reflected.”
