National League Premier Division: Not that you'd expect Damien Richardson to give up on the title he won last year just yet, the Cork City manager knows that only an unlikely sequence of results will see the champions retain their trophy.

While unbeaten in their last 15 games, Cork have drawn eight of them to allow Shelbourne open up an eight-point lead with six games to play.

Any hope of Cork retaining their crown requires a slip-up or two from both Shelbourne and third-placed Derry City (two points behind Cork, though with three games in hand) coupled with a string of Cork wins from here until the end of the season, starting at Bray Wanderers tonight.

"It is a very tall order, but not an impossible one because Shelbourne have got to play all the top teams," said Richardson. "And having dropped points in Longford midweek there is increasing pressure on them.

"Six goals would have made an enormous difference to our season. It would have put us top of the table. Our goals against is hugely impressive; our goals scored is a disappointment."

Roy O'Donovan returns from suspension to resume his partnership in attack with Neale Fenn as John O'Flynn, despite playing the full 90 minutes in last week's 1-1 draw with Longford, is now probably gone for the remainder of the season with his ongoing pelvic problem.

Neal Horgan is suspended so Cillian Lordan starts at right back while Richardson is hoping Danny Murphy recovers from an ankle injury to be able to start on the opposite flank of his defence.

Injuries and unavailability compound new Bray manager Eddie Gormley's problems as he hopes to stem the flow of 10 goals conceded in their last two games.

Philip Keogh, Brian McGovern, Stephen Gifford and William Murphy are all injured while Chris Deans has work commitments. Ciarán Ryan and Lee Roche come back into the squad while Seán Fitzpatrick and Robert Manley are promoted from the under-21s.

Two of their biggest wins of the season in quick succession - 4-1 over Longford Town in the FAI Cup quarter-finals, and last week's 3-0 league defeat of Drogheda United - has revitalised the season for St Patrick's Athletic's.

Bohemians, who continue with Alan Caffrey and Pat Cleary in caretaker charge, have both right-back Stephen Rice and midfielder John Paul Kelly back from suspension but now have defender Jason McGuinness banned.

Stephen Quigley is the only injury doubt for St Patrick's as he recovers from a foot injury.