Shelbourne v BohemiansBohemians supporters may have expected it to be all over by now but Shelbourne manager Pat Fenlon always said he reckoned there would be a twist and turn or two before the destination of this championship was decided.
Sure enough, his side injected much needed life into the title race at Dalymount Park when the two sides last met in November. And, before Tuesday's draw with Longford, the run they had put together looked as though it just might be enough to grab the league away from their neighbours.
Instead, their chances look rather slim ahead of tomorrow afternoon's game at Tolka Park.
Bohemians, though, still have some delivering to do and nobody needs to tell them down in Drumcondra how defeat can sometimes be snatched from the jaws of victory when you have the championship finishing line firmly in your sights.
Bohemians' one point from their last two games has certainly given the impression of a wobble on the part of a team that has made the running in this campaign since the first weekend.
Manager Stephen Kenny insists, however, that his players have performed consistently well and that, with a number of influential figures returning after missing the draw with Drogheda, they can bounce back from their couple of disappointing results.
"Paul Keegan, Derek Coughlan and Mark Rutherford will all be back so we'll definitely be stronger," he says. "Obviously you don't like to be missing players of their quality but to be honest I don't think we've slipped up at all really, it's just that Shelbourne's form has been so strong over the last couple of months that they have managed to narrow the gap despite the fact that we were playing well."
In reality, though, Kenny's team has been struggling for several weeks to provide an alternative threat in front of goal to the league's most prolific striker, Glen Crowe, who has scored 18 times for them in this campaign. His loss to injury was always going to be a significant setback to the progress of the team.
Though he has only scored four times in the league, Keegan's return will at least provide important know-how up front for tomorrow's game and Gary O'Neill, who is likely to partner the former Bray Wanderers and St Patrick's striker in attack, should benefit from playing off one of the smartest strikers in the Irish game.
If Fergal Harkin passes a fitness test on a cartilage problem, which is expected to require surgery at some point, then Kenny will have options on the flanks with Mark Rutherford fit to start again after fully shaking off a hamstring problem. The pair will slog it out for one spot, however, as Bobby Ryan's recent form makes him an automatic choice for a place in the starting line-up.
Coughlan's return should both strengthen the defence and help to provide an aerial threat up front. And if Colin Hawkins can prove his fitness then Tony O'Connor may revert to the right back position.
The tendency for the back four to leave itself open a bit, however, should allow Shelbourne's front men space to run into and with Stephen Geoghegan likely to start for the injured Wesley Hoolahan, the home side will have a man who, Tuesday's second half slip-up against Longford notwithstanding, knows how to finish from around the area.
With Stuart Byrne also carrying an ankle injury, Davy Byrne may also come into the Shelbourne midfield for what looks a nicely balance game.
Fenlon maintains neither he nor his players are under any pressure as the UEFA cup spot was always the target and it is all but in the bag. But the very fact that it could almost certainly be secured means that there is little point in caution on the part of the home side tomorrow.
A win may guarantee Bohemians the title but Shelbourne actually need one more and must surely go all out to beat their rivals.
All of which, at the very least, provides the prospect of an entertaining afternoon at Tolka, for what is expected to be a large crowd and the TV audience at home.
Are there any twists or turns left in this championship race, though? We'll just have to wait and see.
