MIKEY DRENNAN HAS promised Shamrock Rovers fans that the best is yet to come.
The Kilkenny striker hit a quick-fire double as the Hoops came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with champions Dundalk on Friday night.
Drennan’s second, a superb left-footed strike into the top corner, took his total to five goals in six league starts this season.
He’s already closing in on the eight scored by Gary McCabe last season — a total which was enough to make him Rovers’ top scorer.
It has almost been the perfect start for the 21-year-old who was on the books at Aston Villa for four years before returning home.
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But he was kicking himself after missing a late sitter which would have completed his hat-trick and surely condemned the champions to their first defeat of the season.
“We’ll take but it feels like a defeat,” Drennan said on Friday night.
I feel down after it because I know I should have scored a hat-trick.
“It was right there in front of me, I don’t know how I didn’t. I was just thinking, ‘Goal!’ I leaned back and the minute it hit my foot, I was like ‘Oh no!’”
Drennan's second was a cracker - but he later fluffed an easy chance for his hat-trick. Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
With Danny North returning to full fitness, Rovers boss Pat Fenlon will have to decide whether to accommodate both strikers in the same team or stick to his preferred 4-2-3-1.
Drennan insists that he’s only shown a glimpse of his potential so far.
“I’ve still another 20% to go, I think,” he said. “Once the season goes on and I get more used to it and get used to playing with the lads, hopefully that ‘s when you’ll see the best of me.
I don’t think you’ve seen the best of me yet. I think there’s lots more to come.
“I have five goals and I’ll take that. I probably wouldn’t have expected that at the start.”
He has no interest in being the next Gary Twigg though — he wants to forge his own legacy.
“You can see that [Twigg] is a legend — he has posters and flags and all that here.
“It’s a hard thing to live up to but all I can do is just be myself and score as many goals as I can for the club, hopefully win the league and win as many trophies as I can.
“You try not to put too much pressure on yourself, even though there’s pressure on you to score. You try to just go out and play your own game.
There’s no point trying to be like anyone else – just be yourself and hopefully the goals will come.
“Gary Twigg is a legend here and always will be a legend here. Obviously I’d like to be one but it’s still early days and a long way to go.”
'I've still another 20% to go' - Shamrock Rovers fans will like these quotes from Mikey Drennan
MIKEY DRENNAN HAS promised Shamrock Rovers fans that the best is yet to come.
The Kilkenny striker hit a quick-fire double as the Hoops came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with champions Dundalk on Friday night.
Drennan’s second, a superb left-footed strike into the top corner, took his total to five goals in six league starts this season.
He’s already closing in on the eight scored by Gary McCabe last season — a total which was enough to make him Rovers’ top scorer.
It has almost been the perfect start for the 21-year-old who was on the books at Aston Villa for four years before returning home.
But he was kicking himself after missing a late sitter which would have completed his hat-trick and surely condemned the champions to their first defeat of the season.
“We’ll take but it feels like a defeat,” Drennan said on Friday night.
“It was right there in front of me, I don’t know how I didn’t. I was just thinking, ‘Goal!’ I leaned back and the minute it hit my foot, I was like ‘Oh no!’”
With Danny North returning to full fitness, Rovers boss Pat Fenlon will have to decide whether to accommodate both strikers in the same team or stick to his preferred 4-2-3-1.
Drennan insists that he’s only shown a glimpse of his potential so far.
“I’ve still another 20% to go, I think,” he said. “Once the season goes on and I get more used to it and get used to playing with the lads, hopefully that ‘s when you’ll see the best of me.
“I have five goals and I’ll take that. I probably wouldn’t have expected that at the start.”
He has no interest in being the next Gary Twigg though — he wants to forge his own legacy.
“You can see that [Twigg] is a legend — he has posters and flags and all that here.
“It’s a hard thing to live up to but all I can do is just be myself and score as many goals as I can for the club, hopefully win the league and win as many trophies as I can.
“You try not to put too much pressure on yourself, even though there’s pressure on you to score. You try to just go out and play your own game.
“Gary Twigg is a legend here and always will be a legend here. Obviously I’d like to be one but it’s still early days and a long way to go.”
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