Drogheda UTD v Kilkenny city (7.45)
Nothing but pride to play for at United Park tonight. A far cry indeed from last August when both sides confidently expected to consolidate their arrival in the Premier Division.
Both club's managers, Martin Lawlor at Drogheda and Kilkenny's former international Alfie Hale, remain upbeat about next season when they'll be meeting again in the first division. Both are planning on youth and, needless to say, expect to bounce straight back up.
"If we had shown the form of the last six weeks throughout the season, we could be in the top half of the table," said Hale. "But we quite simply underestimated just how strong the Premier Division is. We knew it would be tough, but it was much tougher than what we expected. We had problems gaining a proper fitness level from the start and that's only come right later in the season when it was too late."
Last two seasons: 1996/97 (first division): Drogheda United 1 Kilkenny City 1, Kilkenny City 2 Drogheda United 1, Drogheda United 1 Kilkenny City 0. 1997/98: Drogheda United 0 Kilkenny City 0, Kilkenny City 2 Drogheda United 1.
Current league form: Drogheda United: DDLLW; Kilkenny City: LDLDW.
Leading league scorers: Drogheda United: Gallen, N. Reid (four each); Kilkenny City: Hale (five).
Referee: T Traynor (Dublin).
Betting: 10-11 Home/9-4 Away/5-2 Draw.
Shelbourne v Shamrock Rovers (7.45)
With the title staring them in the face, the psychological war would surely be won with a Shelbourne win here giving them a five-point advantage over St Patrick's prior to their meeting with Dundalk on Sunday.
"We would like to think we can win it from here," said Shelbourne defender Greg Costello, who is a doubt for tonight's game with a slight groin injury. "It's certainly in our own hands and it's at that stage where it is more a case of us losing it than having to win it."
Few would argue that Shelbourne have been the most attractive side to watch throughout much of the 1990s, but their critics would say that they had a soft underbelly when the going got tough. But the consensus at Tolka Park this season is that Shelbourne have acquired a backbone and added steel to their game.
"We probably lacked a bit of what might be called `bottle' in previous seasons and that stood against us in the cut and thrust of the league when it came to the crunch," agreed Costello. "But we've shown this season that we've got character in coming from behind to win games we would normally have been expected to have surrendered in. There is a resilience and determination in this team."
Costello has had a niggling groin problem for some weeks now, but manager Damien Richardson expects him to be fit to play tonight. If not, then Dave Smith would be switched to right-back with Declan Geoghegan returning at left-back.
"We know that if we win our two remaining games, we win the league," said Richardson. "We're not looking at what St Patrick's, or anyone else for that matter, might do."
It's also a huge game for Rovers, whose hopes of qualifying for Europe rest on them acquiring at least three points from their remaining two games.
Their manager, Mick Byrne, has described the fixtures as cup finals, but says that if his side plays as well as they did in losing, unluckily, to St Patrick's on Sunday, they will make Europe.
"Cork winning at Finn Harps on Wednesday hasn't helped us," said Byrne. "We have them at home in our last game and don't want our season to be resting on that."
Rovers's game plan has been disrupted with the news that Richie Purdy, a revelation in a ball-winning role in their five-man midfield, broke a bone in his hand against St Patrick's. But Byrne is hopeful that they can get a strapping that will allow him to start the game. With Mark O'Neill midway through a three-match suspension, Aaron Lynch would be the likely candidate to deputise in Purdy's absence.
Last two seasons: 1996/97: Shamrock Rovers 0 Shelbourne 2, Shelbourne 2 Shamrock Rovers 0, Shamrock Rovers 6 Shelbourne 4. 1997/98: Shelbourne 1 Shamrock Rovers 1, Shamrock Rovers 0 Shelbourne 2.
Current league form: Shelbourne: DDWWW; Shamrock Rovers: WDWWL.
Leading league scorers: Shelbourne: S. Geoghegan (14); Shamrock Rovers: Cousins (14).
Referee: J Feighery (Dublin).
Betting: 4-7 Home/4-1 Away/13-5 Draw.
First Division
Waterford United and Bray Wanderers, first division champions and runners-up, respectively, can celebrate on home soil tonight as they complete their fixtures with games against St Francis and Athlone Town.
Waterford have long since gained their promotion, while Bray clinched theirs after Tuesday's late goal from Jody Lynch beat Monaghan United at the Carlisle Grounds.
That means Limerick's late surge was in vain, in relation to catching Bray, and they must settle for a play-off with the third-from-bottom club in the Premier Division.
The match between Longford Town and Galway United, scheduled for tomorrow night, has been brought forward to tonight with an 8.0 kick-off at Strokestown Road.
