Not many leagues in world football can say every single team is in the mix for winning a league title, qualifying for Europe or trying to stay in the division with just six matches to go.
Tonight's League of Ireland Premier Division fixtures are filled with pressure for every side and are sure to be filled with nerves.
The title race is a three-horse race, while the four clubs below are chasing the Conference League.
Bohemians can go a long way towards sealing their safety, while Dundalk must pick up a win soon or their fate will be sealed in trying to chase Drogheda United down.
Starting at the top, Shelbourne remain firmly in control of their own fate.
They have just a single win in the last seven league matches, with injuries and the loss of players in July beginning to catch-up.
Four of their final five home matches are in Tolka Park, having got a tough run of away fixtures out of the way.
Damien Duff has put the blame on himself for not getting the best out of his players.
Faltering in a first-time side looking to win the league is to be expected. The true test of Shels will come in these final matches.
Sligo Rovers visit Tolka this evening with seven home wins in succession, while conceding 11 goals in their last two games on the road.
This may be the opportunity Duff is looking for.
Elsewhere, the Shamrock Rovers juggernaut will face its biggest challenge with other form side in the country in St Patrick's Athletic.
A huge crowd is expected in Tallaght amid a host of sell outs tonight.
If the Hoops can get a victory, Shelbourne will truly feel the heat from the four-in-a-row champions.
The other challengers are Derry City, who take on Drogheda in Weavers Park.
It's a venue they have found tricky in recent years, as many teams have, and at the most crucial juncture of the season.
They must keep Shels in sight while trying to keep the Hoops in bay. There can be no slip-up.
Both Sligo and St Pat's hold European aspirations if Derry win the FAI Cup, with fourth place a potential route in that circumstance.
Waterford host Galway United as the visitors to the RSC are in a really strong position to push for third.
They know they can knock the Blues out of the race for that spot with victory tonight.
The final game could be the most consequential.
Dundalk sit five points behind Drogheda and their remaining home games are Derry City and Shamrock Rovers once tonight's clash with Bohemians is at an end.
Victory is a must. Bohs have been dragged towards the relegation play-off and can't let the two teams below them make further ground.
Shelbourne v Sligo Rovers, Tolka Park, 7.45pm
Damien Duff spent Wednesday night in the company of legendary manager and his former teacher Dermot Keely.
The current Shels manager picked up some ups from the veteran boss who is promoting his book 'Better Without the Ball' with a league-wide tour.
Despite being one of the greatest players ever to play for the Republic of Ireland, Duff does not possess the experience of leading a group of players to a league title.
Duff said: "The biggest compliment he could give me was saying he saw a lot of his old team in how we play now—playing with no fear, no respect, putting bodies on the line for the Shels crest, and finding a way to win no matter what.
"We need to get back to all of that. Dermot, what he's done, is incredible - a genuine Shelbourne legend.
"He gave me a few pointers—he’s been there, done it, won it, while I’m trying to get there. I’ve yet to do it."
'Yet' is the word and it may be now or never.
Next year is likely to bring a much different league and without the inconsistencies we have seen in some of the other Dublin clubs.
The Bit O' Red have already claimed three points at the venue and also came out with victory in their most recent meeting in Sligo.
If Shels are the story of overachieving this year, Sligo are not behind them,
The youngest squad in the division and one of the lowest budgets has not deterred them in entering the race for Europe.
But their squad is certainly down to the bare bones now. Nando Pijnaker's transfer and injuries to Wilson Waweru and recent signing Stephen Mallon has made them weaker.
Waweru could be missing until at least the summer of 2025 if it transpires he ruptured his Achilles tendon last week Dundalk. Sligo are still awaiting a final diagnosis.
For now, they must stop the league leaders.
Russell said: "It's another huge game for us. We weren't at our best against Dundalk but we were happy with how we grinded out the win regardless. We showed plenty of character and maturity to turn that game around and that's a real positive for us.
"At this stage of the season, it's all about picking up points and as many as you can regardless of performance.
"Tolka is one of the toughest places to go. We're playing the league leaders and possibly the champions of Ireland. But we always back ourselves and I have great faith in this team under any circumstance. Our next two games are against the top two so it'll be tough but you've got to enjoy and embrace these challenges. We're still in with a shout of finishing in a European spot with five games to go and that tells you how well we've done this year."
Shamrock Rovers v St Patrick's Athletic, Tallaght Stadium, 7.45pm
Stephen Bradley has been oozing confidence ahead of the clash with St Patrick's Athletic, believing his players are starting to produce their best.
After taking four points from Derry and Galway, Graham Burke sealed a Dublin derby victory last Monday.
Pat's are set to bring a harder challenge.
Bradley said: "Bohs set up, in the way they're allowed, to frustrate us, which is fine. Eventually we took the legs out of them, they got deeper and deeper as the game went on. We got our rewards, the game should’ve been more comfortable but I liked large parts of the performance.
"So I thought it was a really good win. Dawson Devoy had one long shot in the second half but I don’t think Bohs had any chances in the game. For a Dublin derby we really controlled the game."
The Hoops boss knows coming up against the Stephen Kenny-led Saints will not be easy.
He explained: "We have the two in-form teams in the country. Pat's have some really good players, you look at Jake Mulraney, Mason Melia, Chris Forrester and Zach Elbouzedi, Brandon Kavanagh, all really good players. But we are playing well and it has all the makings to be a really good game. It's two teams who’ll go to win the game, so that makes for an exciting game.
Trevor Clarke will be out for a few weeks. Aaron McEneff and Sean Hoare are set to return in October. Rory Gaffney will be a few more weeks on the sideline.
Pat's showed their class in seeing off Waterford 3-0 last week and they could climb the table in the coming weeks.
The Saints have a positive record against the champions this season, with two wins and one draw in three league meetings.
Kenny, like Bradley, is excited at the prospect of what is to come: "The players have been in terrific form of late. The six European games were of really good quality, the performance levels were very high. We've managed to translate that into our league form, taking 13 points from a possible 15.
"We'll get a real tough test from Shamrock Rovers, who are in a good run of form themselves and are obviously a formidable team in their own stadium, so we're looking forward to the game.
"I think for a team that was struggling to score goals, we've now got goals coming from different areas.
"We're going to need that threat and we're going to need to be at our best"
Romal Palmer (knee) and Cian Kavanagh (back) will miss the game through injury for Pat's.
Drogheda United v Derry City, Weavers Park, 7.45pm
Derry City and Drogheda United have shared 13 goals in three matches going into their final encounter this campaign.
City won 2-1 and 5-1 at the Brandywell with the other game finishing 2-2 at Weavers Park.
The emphatic scoreline is Weavers Park was a rare moment of genuine weakness from Drogheda after being competitive in nearly all their other matches, even in defeat.
Kevin Doherty's side have a home Cup semi-final against Wexford to come.
Ruaidhri Higgins is well aware that they'll prove a tough nut to crack this weekend.
He said: "They signed well in the summer; in fact every player they brought in has gone straight into the side and they're a completely different proposition now than earlier in the season.
"They have quality right throughout the team and while Drogheda is always a very difficult venue at the best of times, we'll have to be right at it on Friday night if we are to give ourselves a chance of winning."
"We've stayed fully focused this week and to be honest, we just have to look after ourselves and not get too bothered about what's happening elsewhere."
Adam O'Reilly picked up a knock at the weekend and is a doubt.
Higgins concluded: "We have a few other bumps and bruises but I'd imagine it'll be along the same lines as last weekend's squad, depending on how Adam is.
"We have a lot of big games coming up but we're just taking them as they come. No-one's getting ahead of themselves and this is where the experience we have in the dressing room can make a difference.
Dundalk v Bohemians, Oriel Park, 7.45pm
There is hope at Oriel Park, even if the future remains bleak.
The on-pitch battles may be the least of their worries going forward.
For now they may come out fighting.
Jon Daly's side where somewhat unlucky last week in Sligo, yet they also were makers of their own troubles through the concession of poor goals and the red card for Hayden Cann who serves a suspension tonight.
The story of the season has been defensive problems and the inability score goals.
Bohs can emphatise with the same deficiencies over the course of the year.
They produced a decent display in Tallaght last Monday, trying to contain their rivals, but failing to take the chances that they created on the break.
Eight defeats in 11 games in all competitions have surrounded Dundalk amid the financial woes.
Mayowa Animasahun returns to the squad while Cann is absent.
Veteran defender and midfielder John Mountney said: "We just need to get ourselves out of it. I hate having the same conversations and saying the same things. We just need to keep fighting. We've said it before. Dundalk is a working-class town, everyone in that town fights for their earning, fights for everything they do day-to-day, they work hard and spend their money to support us. We need to keep fighting.
"We roll into another game now. But there is accountability within. We can’t just keep saying 'next game’, ‘next game’, there has to be accountability and get to the bottom of these issues that are happening on the pitch.
"There are five big games left. We play Bohemians at home on Friday and it’s a massive, massive game for us. We can’t get anything less than three points – it’s as simple as that."
Waterford FC v Galway United, RSC, 7.45pm
It's rare two promoted teams to the Premier Division survive in their first year.
Both finishing in the top half of the table would be even stranger.
It remains a possibility for these sides going into the RSC clash.
Kyle White (hamstring) is absent but otherwise Keith Long has a full squad otherwise to choose from
Goalkeeper Sam Sargeant made his return to action last Friday in Richmond Park in a big boost for the Blues.
United's result have proved the difference between the sides so far.
Their two wins, along with a 0-0 draw in their last clash in the RSC, has helped them to remain a point ahead.
Galway are in a remarkable position in fourth place, knowing this could be the game to take a firm hold of that spot in the table.
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