Shelbourne
Current position: 1st, 54 points
Fixtures
- 6 Oct: Shamrock Rovers (a)
- 18 Oct: Waterford (h)
- 25 Oct: Drogheda United (h)
- 1 Nov: Derry City (a)
Shels have won one game in nine, and when that victory was secured away to Dundalk on 30 August it felt like some nerves would be settled.
Not so.
They’ve picked up just two points from four games since, yet Damien Duff’s side remain the league leaders. Their cushion is currently four points but it could be cut to two by the time they head for Tallaght Stadium on Sunday given that Galway United can go second on 52 points with a win at home to Dundalk on Friday. Pressure is coming from all over. Perhaps timing will be on Shels’ side as Shamrock Rovers begin their Uefa Conference League at home to APOEL tomorrow.
Duff will be without the suspended Paddy Barrett and injured Shane Griffin, meaning a complete rejig at the heart of defence. Liam Burt is not available as he’s on loan from Rovers while Matty Smith’s red card in Monday’s 3-2 defeat to St Patrick’s Athletic rules out another important attacking threat. There is a further injury concern over striker Aiden O’Brien while midfielder JJ Lunney has been absent in recent weeks due to a calf issue.
Problems are mounting rather than momentum building. Ordinarily you might expect two wins from the home games that follow against Waterford and Drogheda United but this season has been far from normal, and an away trip Derry City on the final night remains a tantalising prospect.
If it can be still in their own hands heading north than Shels will have defied the form book.
Derry City
Current position: 2nd, 50 points
Fixtures
- 11 Oct: Bohemians (h)
- 14 Oct: Sligo Rovers (h)
- 18 Oct: Dundalk (a)
- 25 Oct: St Patrick’s Athletic (a)
- 1 Nov: Shelbourne (h)
Any suggestion that the controversial penalty awarded to the Candystripes against Shamrock Rovers on 20 September would be a turning point or catalyst for a surge to overtake Shels was quickly dismissed.
Despite pilfering a point with that Pat Hoban spot kick, Derry followed it up with a laboured 2-1 defeat away to Drogheda United.
That Shamrock Rovers lost 3-0 and the league leaders drew 0-0 on the same night only compounded matters.
That’s been the story of their season. Duff’s side’s form, as mentioned above, is poor, but at no point have Derry taken advantage.
They trail by four points – with a game in hand – but that only means more risk of losing ground rather than opportunity to close in.
Since going out of Europe on 18 July, Ruaidhrí Higgins’ men have averaged one point per league game from the six that followed. If that form continues – and you only have to look at their next five to see that it might – it means they will finish on 55 points.
That won’t be enough for the title.
Shamrock Rovers
Current position: 3rd, 49 points
Fixtures
- 6 Oct: Shelbourne (h)
- 18 Oct: Drogheda United (a)
- 27 Oct: Dundalk (a)
- 1 Nov: Waterford (h)
From the outside, Europe looked to be the primary focus for the Hoops once the summer took hold.
A 2-0 away to defeat to Sligo Rovers on 28 June left the four-in-a-row champions 15 points off Shels at the top.
They had a game in hand, but the sense was that the upcoming Champions League first-round qualifier with Vikingur Reykjavik could go a long way to defining their season.
They came out on top in that two-legged tie after the visitors missed a penalty with the last kick of the game in Tallaght Stadium.
Stephen Bradley eventually secured a place in the Uefa Conference League group stages and their campaign begins at home to APOEL Nicosia tomorrow.
All of a sudden, though, a fifth title is a realistic target and the security of the champions’ path in next season’s qualifiers – and the finances involved – brings another element to the equation.
What kind of team Bradley – he serves a touchline ban for the visit of Shels on Sunday – puts out tomorrow will provide some indication of the priority considering domestic matters at Tallaght Stadium 72 hours later.
Their six European games don’t add too much congestion either seeing as they will have 12 between Sunday and a trip to Drogheda United. A short spin to Larne on the 24th of this month is sandwiched between Dundalk at Oriel Park, and they will likely already be relegated by then.
Waterford at home on the final night would be a welcome opponent for a winner takes all event.
Galway United
Current position: 4th, 59 points
Fixtures
- 4 Oct: Dundalk (h)
- 18 Oct: St Patrick’s Athletic (a)
- 25 Oct: Sligo Rovers (h)
- 1 Nov: Bohemians (a)
Galway United could not have asked for a better opponent as the aim to move to within two points of Shelbourne on Friday night.
Dundalk visit Eamon Deacy Park having lost their three previous meetings with John Caulfield’s side 2-0. Relegation looms for the Lilywhites and Galway now have a greater carrot than just European qualification to aim for.
Caulfield, of course, is well versed in what it takes to win a title from his days at Cork City. He endured a fair share of pain too, but this opportunity feels different.
No team has ever won the Premier Division in the first season following promotion. They require the three teams above them to keep dropping points, so is it a good thing that none of their remaining four games are against those sides?
Galway haven’t won three league games in a row all season, now would be a pretty good time to start to see if it’s capable of creating history.
St Patrick’s Athletic
Current position: 5th, 47 points
Fixtures
- 14 Oct: Bohemians (a)
- 18 Oct: Galway United (h)
- 25 Oct: Derry City (h)
- 1 Nov: Sligo Rovers (a)
Galway are on the same points as Rovers but viewed as greater outsiders due to their respective recent pedigree.
That’s understandable, even if this season has been far removed from anything we’ve come to expect from those challenging for the top honour.
St Pat’s are two points further back but, with Stephen Kenny at the helm and five impressive wins on the spin, the Saints are probably seems as more serious challengers than Caulfield’s men.
They will have to make it nine wins in a row to reach 59 points and, even then, they still need so much to go right for them elsewhere.
Logic and experience suggest it is too much to ask. So, naturally, brace yourself for what is to come.
Sligo Rovers
Current position: 6th, 47 points
Fixtures
- 14 Oct: Derry City (a)
- 19 Oct: Bohemians (h)
- 25 Oct: Galway United (a)
- 1 Nov: St Patrick’s Athletic (h)
The Bit O’Red boss, John Russell, expressed his dismay at some of the commentary around his side in the aftermath of 0-0 draw with Shelbourne last Friday.
“Sometimes you’re listening to the commentary and you’re thinking ‘are they actually watching the game or is it just a set thing that they’re going to say before hand?’. They know the opposition players, and they’re not really doing their research.
“Then you go and play Shamrock Rovers up in Tallaght and they’re talking about curry cheese chips in the game, they get the names of the players wrong. It’s embarrassing. These people are getting paid money and they can’t even get the names right, never mind talk about what’s happening on the pitch.
“When we have fluid build up they’re talking about something else that’s nothing to do with the game. We know what we’re doing.”
Not to dismiss Sligo’s title chances, but the only reason St Pat’s, who are on the same points, are even under consideration is because of the winning run they have put together.
Sligo did string four victories in a row against Derry, Rovers, Bohs and Galway between the back end of June and into July, so they’ll need a repeat of that form and hope there is the collapse of all collapses above them.
Qualification for Europe would exceed all expectations.
