A whiff of the double pervades Richmond Park

FOR the elite quartet, and the Dublin trio of St Patrick's, Bohemians and Shelbourne, there shouldn't be a dull moment between now and the end of the season. Their carve up of all the best games continues apace. The rest either look on enviously or, as in the case of Drogheda and Derry tonight, drop in to Richmond Park and Dalymount Park for a visit. The monopolies commission should be notified.

"It's fantastic," acknowledges the St Patrick's manager Brian Kerr, for whom an end of season run hasn't promised so much since his first full campaign of 1987-88, when Dundalk denied his fledgling side at the penultimate stage in the Cup and on the final day in the league.

They've been in a couple of league shake ups since, winning in 1990, and three more Cup semi finals. But for the first time there's a real whiff of a double in the air. This is different alright.

"Everybody's more experienced all round, the whole club is more experienced and more confident. That was a new group, and not too much was expected of them. We've a stronger squad and, what's more, we're ahead now.

Ahead by three points from their Dublin rivals, with six games remaining. Expectations varied at the outset of this season, although they were generally good. Fulfilling them has been due to the virtues of "hard work, good players and good back up. Players have been very resilient in the last few weeks".

This has been demonstrated by their ability to come from behind in each of their last four draws. Kerr duly reminded his players of this at half time in the titanic 2-2 draw in Athlone last Saturday after which one of his players informed his manager that it imbued him with a sense of calm and confidence". Such inner strength could be vital on the run in.

Ironically, it should also stand to Bohemians that they possess more of the St Patrick's title winning side of six seasons ago than even Kerr as at his disposal Dave Henderson, Mick Moody, Robbie Best (then a fringe player at St Patrick's), Maurice O'Driscoll and Tony O'Connor.

Their's is a less obtrusive title challenge which, like Dundalk last season, has been built in part on accumulating heavily against the lower sides where their rivals have dropped points.

Perhaps because of his playing links at Dalymount, manager Turlough O'Connor looks not ice ably calmer and relaxed figure than in championship races of times past with former employers. The silver fox is revelling in it.

It's got to be something that you enjoy, every minute of it. Chasing both the league and the cup, this is what you hope for at the start of the season. There's a good atmosphere in the club now. We've just got to keep it going."