Emmet Malone talks to a Bohemians player who is enjoying his secondspell at Dalymount despite the fact the club has under-achieved in theleague this season.

His first spell with Bohemians ended the way many did back then, a conversation with Roddy Collins and the news there wouldn't be much chance of first-team football over the months that followed. A few others hung about but Fergal Harkin hadn't returned from Leicester City to play in the reserves back in Dublin.

Now, after a period at home in Donegal with Finn Harps, during which time the club was relegated, his reputation within the league was firmly established. Harkin is back at Dalymount Park and looking forward to a Carlberg FAI Cup semi-final which holds the key to Bohemians being in Europe again next season.

Harkin's initial departure was particularly hard on the then 21-year-old player who had signed as a full-time player for a club that was struggling to make the leap to being a full-time outfit.

These days, though, the midfielder's problems have been reversed as he tries to hold down a job with sportswear company Nike as well as a place in a team that trains each day without him. But it is the fact, he says, the club has made such progress towards becoming a full professional outfit that brings the sort of pressure he and his team-mates will face when they play Derry City tomorrow.

"Clearly the club is spending a lot of money on having so many full-time players around the place and that means we have to win things, we have to be in Europe. But given the quality of the squad we know we should be anyway.

"We haven't achieved anything like what we would have hoped so far this season and I think that's added to the sense of excitement about the place ahead of this game. Nobody's taking anything for granted, especially not after them putting us out of the League Cup a few weeks ago, but there's a real sense that if we can play to our potential we can beat them."

Since returning last summer Harkin has been one of the few consistent strong performers at the club though even he admits to feeling some guilt at the way the team failed their former manager, Pete Mahon.

"I think we all let Pete down. We were unlucky with injuries and suspensions maybe and once we started getting into a rut we found it very difficult to get back out of it again but even then we always sort of knew that some team we'd meet would be in for a hiding after which we'd get ourselves going again. In the end that only happened after Stephen (Kenny) had taken over and he suddenly seemed to have 20 players available to him."

Since the 4-1 win in Longford that marked Kenny's arrival the team has lost just twice in 14 games but while they have steadily climbed the league table they still look like outside bets to qualify for Europe by that route making tomorrow's game all the more important for everybody at the club.

"Losing the League Cup game was disappointing because it was a chance to win a trophy but I think it's fair to say that this one means a lot more to everyone."

Given the amount of competition for places Harkin can't bank on starting the game but having successfully made the switch from his preferred role in central midfield to playing wide on the right, the Donegalman feels he has done enough over the past few months to stake a strong claim. "If I had a choice I'd be playing in the middle but to be honest the important thing to me has always been to play. When I was here before I could have hung on but it was never about the money. When I heard I would not be playing I left and to come back now, and play for the club I left England for, in whatever position, has been great.

"Things are already looking good for next season and the pity is we couldn't have started again at Christmas because we've played really well since then. For now, though, this is our last chance and we all know how important it is that we don't let ourselves down again."