Four matches take place tonight in the ever-changing Premier Division with focus returning to leaders Shelbourne and if they can handle a Dundalk side finally able to win on the road.
The 2024 season continues to throw up plot twists and leave many predictions open to ridicule.
The surprise package of the season Shels had a golden chance to open up a gap on Shamrock Rovers last week when Sligo Rovers visited Tolka Park.
Damien Duff admitted the visitors "did a job" on the leaders and it allowed the Hoops to immediately rectify the loss to their fellow Dublin side the week previously.
Once again the champions will sit on the sidelines and let their rivals test themselves.
International call-ups allowed the Hoops and Bohemians to call off their games, so their derby meeting will come later in the season, with another to follow in the FAI Cup.
Dundalk looked a much more simpler opposition to face a few weeks ago – at least away from home.
Seven defeats in nine games outside of Oriel Park left them rooted to the foot of the table.
Taking three points from Richmond Park on Monday ended that run and moved them above Drogheda United.
Derry City didn't garner as many headlines when swotting aside Waterford FC with relative ease last Monday.
It hasn’t been convincing from City so far this year and a serious injury to Patrick McEleney did put a dampener on the evening.
Nonetheless they are within touching distance of top spot once more. Galway United visit the Brandywell tonight looking to bounce back from a first defeat in nine last week.
Two sides reeling from Bank Holiday losses clash at Weavers Park.
Drogheda United have failed to take a point in their last four games and face a big task to get out of the bottom two now.
St Patrick’s Athletic are the side in the final safe position in the table – a remarkable state of events given their expectation to challenge for the league this season.
It’s a must not lose game for the Saints, knowing they could be dragged further into the relegation discussion here.
United simply need to stop the rot.
The final game sees two of the more in-form sides clash.
Waterford host Sligo Rovers with the sides each taking a 1-0 victory in their games so far.
The Bit O’Red made it back-to-back wins in three days recently, and while the Blues went down to Derry, they remain in fourth spot.
All could change once more tonight.
Shelbourne v Dundalk, Tolka Park, 7.45pm
Having turned a corner on Monday, Dundalk are looking to end more negatives sequences tonight.
The Lilywhites have not beaten Shelbourne since March of last year and are also winless in their last five games at Tolka Park, with three draws before losing on their last two trips.
An intense 0-0 draw in Oriel Park was their last encounter and it's likely this will be another close affair.
Having conceded two goals in their win over Pat’s, Dundalk stood strongly for the entire second half to secured the points.
That defensive strength will be key here, manager Jon Daly believes.
He explained: "We have a fantastic defensive record at home, seven clean-sheets in a row, so it’s trying to bring that mentality when we go away from home."
"I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I genuinely wouldn’t have taken the job if I didn’t feel there was quality in the group. I didn’t know the players before I took the job so you’re only getting to know them and I have to say the characters that are in the changing room are fantastic.
"They’re certainly not a team that should be where they are, but they are. They’re there because they haven’t got results and it’s important now that we try to back Monday’s win up on Friday away to Shels, who are a really good side. We need to try to get something there too."
Robbie Benson is back in contention but Robbie Mahon, Koen Oostenbrink and Dara Keane are injured while Louie Annesley is on international duty with Gibraltar. Ciaran McGuckin has returned to Rotherham United following the end of his loan deal.
Damien Duff is using the arm around the shoulder technique on the back of a setback against Sligo.
With a fully-fit squad, the Shels boss feels his side can let go their loss and move forward in the search of maintaining their lead at the top.
"Nine times out of ten, that’s enough to win the game, so it wasn’t meant to be. Where we’re at as a team is constantly evolving. We want to dominate games and possession. We’re seeing that in games now.
"There are games this season where we have dominated, you look at the stats, they back that up. Are we dominating the ball? Yes. Are we creating chances? Yes. Are we taking enough chances? No. Couple that with two moments when we switch off, you get done.
"In the Sligo game, we dominated from start to finish, two lapses of concentration, cost us. We’ve played a lot worse and scraped a 1-0 win. It’s fine margins. I couldn’t be prouder or happier with our position in the league and performances."
Duff was pictured in Richmond Park watching Dundalk ahead of the game and has warned his players to expect a tough 90 minutes.
"It was an incredible game, I stayed until the end, great game to be on live TV. Brilliant for the league. We say it every week. This league is about fine margins, every game is so unpredictable.
"Like us last Friday, showed if there is a lapse or you’re not quite on it as a team or individual, you will get hurt.
"It was incredible from Dundalk, and they are coming in good spirits and we will show them the respect they deserve, because they have quality everywhere."
Derry City v Galway United, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, 7.45pm
Winning in Derry began the belief that Galway United were more than just a promoted side when it came to this year's league shake-up.
It was a real high point for United fans after years of struggle in the First Division.
John Caulfield will be only too aware for all the talk of European challenges among fans, the job is far from done when it comes to stay in the division.
They have proven a match for nearly every side but with teams below them beginning to pick up points, there is a lot more work to be done.
Ruaidhri Higgins must question his luck when it comes to injuries, or at least why they seem to continually be an issue at Derry City.
Higgins admitted losing Patrick McEleney to a broken arm is "a huge blow" ahead of the visit of Galway United to the Brandywell on Friday night.
The manager confirmed that the player will require surgery.
"It seems to be a fairly bad fracture, howeer we won't know the full extent for a few days.
"He's had no luck at all with injuries. I've said it many times before, I believe that a fully fit Patrick McEleney is the best player in the country, and he's a huge loss to us.
"He was absolutely outstanding again on Monday night before his fall, but we will ensure he gets the treatment he needs as soon as possible.
"In terms of the team, we do at least have really good cover options in the middle of the park. We'll focus now on the week ahead and hopefully be able to go into the summer break in a positive position."
The City boss paid tribute to Caulfield and his assistant Ollie Horgan this week.
"The reason this league is as competitive as it is, comes down to how good both Galway and Waterford have been since their promotion.
"John and Ollie are two very intelligent and well organised football men and they have found a way that works for them.
"We know what to expect, of course we do, but that doesn't make them any easier to play against.
"I thought we played some excellent football on Monday night, especially in the first half. We had a real intensity about us and that's a performance we want to build on.
"Hopefully we'll get a big crowd behind us this weekend and we'll be doing everything in our power to go into next week's break with plenty to look forward to."
Caulfield is aware repeating the trick from earlier in the season is a massive ask.
"We’re halfway through the season, we know that Derry are one of the title contenders.
"They have the firepower to win the league if they get a few wins together and they beat Waterford 3-0 the other night, they’ve been really impressive.
"We know we’re going to have to defend very well, and when opportunities come to use we’re going to have to them."
Drogheda United v St Patrick's Athletic, Weavers Park, 7.45pm
It's been a whirlwind for Stephen Kenny as he faces a sixth game in 22 days since taking over St Patrick’s Athletic
It’s been more of a hurricane so far with the reality of the task dawning on the new boss.
He has been frank in stressing there is no relegation battle at the moment. It could quickly change.
Kenny is not panicking though: "Drogheda's home form has been good overall and we'll have to be at our best. We managed to win last Friday against Galway without playing all that well, and obviously the Dundalk game on Monday, we rallied strongly but we were disappointed to lose.
"It's three quick-fire games, that's the nature of it, so we've got to dust ourselves down and go to Drogheda and try to get the win that we need."
Ruairi Keating returns after a concussion saw him miss the last two league matches, Axel Sjoberg (hamstring) and Anto Breslin (hamstring) remain unavailable.
Counterpart Kevin Doherty has also come out fighting this week despite Drogheda’s woes.
He told the Drogheda Independent: "We are bottom of the league now, but we know we’re capable of beating anybody and we’re probably due a good run as well. The performances at times have been excellent and that can get lost very quickly.
"Now we have to get results and one thing that can be guaranteed - and I don’t think it has to be said - is that all the staff and the players are fighting tooth and nail to win games and I can’t fault anybody for effort."
Darragh Markey returns from a one-match ban served in Sligo. Gary Deegan, Conor Kane and Aaron McNally are doubtful.
Waterford FC v Sligo Rovers, RSC, 7.45pm
A demoralising 3-0 loss to Bohemians in front of the RTE cameras may prove a turning point in Sligo Rovers' season.
Facing some tough games ahead, it looked like their safety was in jeopardy with just a single win in nine games.
But it proved the catalyst for Rovers, taking a point in Derry when it could have been more and then defeating the league leaders Shelbourne. They quickly followed it up by beasting Drogheda and it sums up this year’s league than one more victory would put them joint fourth at the close of play tonight.
At the same time it’s a real opportunity for the home side to kick on.
Three of their seven league defeats have come against Derry City so they can quickly turn the page on that.
Barry Baggley and Maleace Asamoah both miss out through injury – with the loss with the loss of Asamoah a particularly big one for the home side given his great performances this season.
For Sligo they are down nine players in total.
Injuries and international call-ups are also a factor.
Four academy players involved with their first-team are doing the Leaving Cert and Junior Cert this week so are unable to make the trip south
Nando Pijnaker, John Mahon, Simon Power and youngster Conor Reynolds are out injured.
Stefan Radosavljevic is part of the Faroe Islands squad who take on Estonia in the Baltics Cup semi-final on Saturday in Tallinn and will miss the game.
As a result, it’s unlikely they will be able to name more than a handful of substitutes.
But Russell is confident his side can produce another big display.
Russell said: "We picked up two great results over the June Bank Holiday weekend. But those games are done now and although it gives us something to build on, we must focus on a difficult game at the RSC.
"Both sides have already beaten each other in the other club's home ground so we're expecting it to be a tight encounter once again as neither team really dominated in either game.
"We'll be without a handful of players. But that's the way it goes and you've got to be able to deal with these things as they come along.
"We wish our young players sitting exams the best of luck and we'll see them back once they are finished."
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