David Sneyd

NOW IT’S SHELBOURNE’S turn to join the fun.

Not as contenders in the title race, but as the latest disruptors capable of having a major say in the destination of the Premier Division trophy while attempting to muscle in on a European spot of their own with a late surge.

Dublin will be the epicentre of the tremors felt around the top flight tonight.

Not forgetting, of course, Derry City need to beat Dundalk at Oriel Park.

The Candystripes, who still have a game in hand against UCD on Wednesday, could go into that fixture with the possibility of closing the gap at the top to a single point, or face the prospect of dropping to fourth and just a point ahead of Shels in fifth.

Amid all of these numerous – perhaps redundant – permutations there is only one certainty: it’s Shamrock Rovers who have destiny in their own hands.

That is why the Virgin Media TV cameras will be at Tallaght Stadium as the four-in-a-row-chasing champions host Bohemians in front of 7,500 supporters. Already a fixture of great intensity and emotion, the added importance of it being the league leaders versus the side in fourth, with the chance of an away win reducing the gap to four points, only adds to its significance.

Especially when you consider events across the city.

In Drumcondra, Shels face the last team to beat them in the league way back on 23 June.

Two months and seven games later, Damien Duff’s men could kill off St Patrick’s Athletic’s title hopes with a victory in front of what is edging towards a sold-out Tolka Park.

The Saints have won the three previous meetings this term 1-0, with the goals all coming in the second-half. Those defeats account for 60 per cent of Shels’ total in the league. Along with 13 draws (the only team to be in double digits and almost three times as many as St Pat’s) it goes some way to telling the tale of a season that has left them confined to the role of extras in the main storyline.

Until now.

Those tight encounters that could go either way, allied to narrow defeats against a side who are Rovers’ closest challengers, illustrate why new owner Acun Ilicali had no problem laying out their ambitions when he spoke to the media at the end of June.

“With Damien, it won’t take long. Let me put all the stress on his shoulders. I met with [Duff] beforehand. From these meetings with our coach, we are not far away,” the Turkish millionaire, who also owns Hull City in the English Championship said.

“Next season I am very confident we will be a very strong team. If you ask me, what is the target? If we are not in Europe for next season I will be disappointed. And why not become the champions? It would not be a miracle. Next season, with many, many recruits, we can go into higher positions.”

Ilicali won’t be at Tolka this evening and he has yet to see them taste defeat in the Premier Division since that statement of intent.

Shels have lost fewer games (five) than Bohs (seven), Derry (six) and Pat’s (eight) above them, but it is those draws that have been the reason for not building momentum.

Of those seven unbeaten matches since Pat’s got the better of them at Richmond Park, they haven’t been able to string together back-to-back victories, three wins interspersed with four draws.

Indeed, they’ve only managed successive victories in May – against UCD and Sligo Rovers – before Pat’s won 1-0 at Tolka courtesy of a Sam Curtis goal.

Pat’s would bite your hand off for a repeat outcome later, anything to ensure they stay within touching distance of Rovers.

For Duff, impacting the outcome of the title race will only be a side-effect of his primary objective.

Qualifying for Europe will satisfy his demands and those of the owner.

Next season expectations will be on a different level, so just how strongly Shels can finish this campaign will go some way to informing how much work will be required to meet them.

That will lead to fun and games of a different kind.