For a while, at least, the feeling was great. But as he thinks back to the start of the summer and Bray's hard fought win over Finn Harps in last year's final, Barry O'Connor admits that the euphoria didn't last long around the Carlisle Grounds.

After fighting a losing battle against relegation the former Drogheda United and Shelbourne striker admits that everybody around the club enjoyed the lift that came with appearing in and then winning the cup final. "But a few weeks later when we all arrived back to training there was the grim realisation that we were all heading into another year of the First Division. It sort of hit us all and it was terrible."

Given the size and strength of the squad the expectations for the new campaign were at least high. Four or five members of the first team panel departed but despite the financial implications of relegation the rest were kept and the addition of Alan Byrne in central midfield even added a new edge to Wanderers' hopes of going back up at the first attempt.

"I think even from a psychological point of view, the fact that Pat kept just about everybody was important. It showed the commitment that's there amongst everybody involved in running the club.

"Obviously the money must be down because the crowds are now that we're back in the First Division but still everything kept being done right. The preparations are always good, we're treated very well and the players are always made to feel that they're part of a very professional set up.

"Basically the relegation could have been a big knock to the club's progress but there really hasn't been any sign of it around the place."

Not that things couldn't have been better. The European games against Grasshoppers of Zurich were a good experience for everybody but for players used to playing against the best in the country week in week out the prospect of scraping their way out of the First Division again was enough to make hearts sink.

"It's a tough league, it always has been. And it's hard a lot of the time to get yourself motivated for games because there's always that niggling feeling that we shouldn't be here.

"That was the real problem last year," says O'Connor. "We look at the squad we have and the fact that we could beat anybody in one off situations and we know ourselves that we should have managed to stay up.

"What we lacked was any sort of consistency, though, and we can't really argue with the fact that we got what we deserved in the end. In a way, though, that's one of the strengths in the side this year because there's a feeling that well, we got the club into this mess so we're going to get it out of it. Everybody's pulling together very hard to make sure we get promoted again and so far it's going well enough."

Bray go into this weekend's cup tie against Derry with a three point cushion at the top of the First Division and a six point lead over Dundalk in third place.

Like that of his team, O'Connor's form has been transformed since the summer, with 10 goals he is the club's top scorer, and like his team-mates he will be travelling to the Brandywell brimming with confidence that the cup holders can make a successful start to their defence.

"I think that everybody's playing with a lot of confidence now and when you're getting that rub of the green there's always the feeling that you can pull anything off. We could have gotten a far easier draw than this, we're going to a Premier Division club, one of the big ones and obviously it'll be difficult, but I'll certainly be going up there looking forward to it. I have no doubt that we can win this game."

On a personal level, O'Connor looks likely to be one of the key figures in the game. The Dubliner played no part in the first of Bray's three cup matches against Harps and only came on in the second as a substitute for Maurice Farrell (he later scored in that match) but his form this season has been outstanding and clearly his confidence is back.

"I have no qualms about last year. I think I did well once I did come in but I had no consistency at all and I couldn't complain when Pat decided to leave me out. This season has been very different, it's been going well and I'm very happy with the way I've been playing but that's often the way it goes, especially when you're looking to score goals, when things are going well to start with suddenly everything just seems to drop right for you."

Having made a rare start up front last weekend O'Connor, who won a league medal with Cliftonville two seasons ago when he was the club's top scorer from midfield, expects to be back in his more usual, more central role this week. "I'd play anywhere but I suppose I fancy myself more as a striker really, I suppose I always will. It's up to the boss, though, he picks the team and I'm just glad to be in there, happy that we're playing well again."