Sunday (3.15) Drogheda United v UCD
For the home side it's about pride now with the target being to avoid finishing last. A win, though, looks like a tall order for United even if they have a stronger squad available than for last week's game in Cork.
Darren O'Keeffe and Greg O'Dowd are still suspended and so miss out again but Alan Murphy's and Gerry Boyle's bans are over and bother will start the club's last game of the season.
UCD welcome back Alan Mahon (suspension) and Ciaran Kavanagh (knee injury) but Aidan Lynch (knee) and John Martin (viral infection) are both out, leaving Martin Moran to do another bit of reshuffling. "For us it's about whether we end up finishing fourth or seventh and after the season we've had I'd really hate to finish seventh, so it's still important to us," said UCD boss Martin Moran.
Last two seasons: 1998/99: Did not meet; 99/00: United 0 UCD 1, UCD 3 United 0.
Recent league form: United: WLDLL; UCD: DLDWW.
Leading scorers: United: Byrne 5; UCD: Martyn 10.
Referee: P McKeon (Dublin).
Bohemians v Sligo Rovers
The cup finalists are without Robbie Brunton and Shaun Maher, both of whom are suspended, for the trip to the Showgrounds. Pascal Vaudequin has been released by Bohemians, meanwhile, and Ray Kelly is doubtful due to a shoulder injury.
On the brighter side Kevin Hunt is back from suspension and almost certain to go straight back to the starting line-up and Avery John is back from World Cup duty.
Sligo's problems persist with no fewer than six players ruled out again by a variety of factors. Wesley Charles, Padraig Moran, Steve Birks, Ian Rossiter, Sean Flannery and Tommy Byrne all miss the game.
Last two seasons: 1998/99: Rovers 2 Bohemians 2, Bohemians 0 Rovers 1, Rovers 2 Bohemians 1; 99/00: Bohemians 3 Rovers 2, Rovers 0 Bohemians 0.
Recent league form: Bohemians: WLLLD; Rovers: LLLDD.
Leading scorers: Bohemians: Crowe 9; Rovers: Moran 11.
Referee: J McDermot (Dublin).
Derry City v Cork City (12.0)
With Cork having already made sure of their place in the UEFA Cup, the aim tomorrow will be to give outgoing manager Dave Barry a bit of a send-off at the Brandywell. Barry says he is pleased to be leaving the club in a strong position for next season, particularly given the number of sides who were scrambling for the European spot up to a few weeks ago.
He will be short a few regulars for his last game in charge, however, with Patsy Freyne (hip injury), Greg O'Halloran (groin) and Noel O'Halloran (suspension) all out. John Cotter is doubtful with an ankle problem, too, but Dave Hill returns after surgery on a damaged cartilage.
Derry, still hoping to finish in the top six, will be without Peter Hutton (suspension) again and possibly missing Paul Hegarty (knee trouble) for a third consecutive game. That leaves Kevin Mahon with the same squad that went to Tolka Park last week and drew with the champions.
Last two seasons: 1998/99: Cork 2 Derry 1, Derry 1 Cork 1, Cork 0 Derry 1; 99/00: Derry 1 Cork 0, Cork 0 Derry 0.
Recent league form: Derry: WWDLD; Cork: DDWWW.
Leading scorers: Derry: Coyle 8; Cork: Morley 18.
Referee: P Whelan (Dublin).
Galway United v St Patrick's Athletic
This is one of the key games of the day with Galway desperately needing to at least match Waterford's result against Finn Harps if they are to avoid ending up in the forthcoming relegation play-off.
Don O'Riordan does have virtually a full squad available (the suspended Scott Morgan will be the only absentee) and the United boss says that the spirit has been good at the team's training sessions this week. Having played each other four times already this season, the two sides know each other very well at this stage but, says O'Riordan, "we've changed the way a bit since we last met and so have they and we'll be hoping we can spring a surprise or two".
St Patrick's, meanwhile, are likely to be without Colin Hawkins (Achilles trouble) while Packie Lynch is doubtful with a thigh injury picked up late in last week's draw with Shamrock Rovers.
Back in, though, are Robbie McGuinness (after suspension), Dessie Byrne (international duty) and Shane Harte (ankle) while Marcus Hallows may have recovered sufficiently from a hamstring problem to figure.
Last two seasons: 1998/99: Did not meet; 99/00: United 1 St Patrick's 2, St Patrick's 3 United 0.
Recent league form: United: LDLWD; St Patrick's: LWDWD.
Leading scorers: United: Lavine 6; St Patrick's: Hallows 7.
Referee: H Byrne (Dublin).
Shamrock Rovers v Shelbourne
Dermot Keely's side go to Santry with the championship in the bag and the cup final to come next week, so it's safe to say they'll be on a bit of a high right now. The anticipation from Rovers' point of view would be that they'll ease up a bit and let the home side grab the win required to give them any hope of European football next season but it might be asking a bit too much.
If they are to win, then Rovers will certainly have to play better than they did last week in Inchicore. And they'll have to do it without Marc Kenny, who is suspended, Tony O'Dowd, who is still injured, and possibly Richie Purdy, who took a bit of a knock last Sunday. Tony Cousins, who looked to be back to full fitness, is now out again having damaged his knee again in Tuesday's Leinster Cup semi-final against Home Farm Fingal, but Sean Francis may return from injury and Stuart Holt is definitely available again after suspension.
Shelbourne still have Carel van der Velden suspended and Mark Hutchison injured although both are expected to be available for next week's cup decider. Paul Doolin (cold), Tony McCarthyy (knee injury) and James Keddy (chest infection) are a little off being fully fit but all are expected to play while Richie Baker is back after suspension.
Last two seasons: 1998/99: Shelbourne 2 Rovers 2, Rovers 2 Shelbourne 1, Shelbourne 1 Rovers 0; 99/00: Rovers 1 Shelbourne 1, Shelbourne 3 Rovers 0.
Recent league form: Rovers: WDDLD; Shelbourne: WWDWD.
Leading scorers: Rovers: Francis 7; Shelbourne: S Geoghegan 11.
Referee: A O`Regan (Cork).
Waterford United v Finn Harps
This is the other of the day's key relegation games with Waterford hoping to beat Harps and so, if Galway fail to win, escape the play-off. Like Don O'Riordan, Mike Flanagan is missing just one suspended player - Barry Wood - and, like the Galway boss, his side's main problem has been their costly inability to score goals.
That's something that Flanagan hopes to rectify over the summer but for the moment he'll have to hope that somebody can come up with at least one against a Harps team who have already made it to safety and so have little enough to play for.
The visitors will be without Johnny Kenny (damaged ankle) and Mike Turner who has been recalled by his English club Barnsley. Declan Boyle is back from suspension, though, so Waterford's rather goal-shy strike force will be up against a full-strength Harps defence.
Last two seasons: 1998/99: Harps 1 United 2, United 0 Harps 3, Harps 2 United 0; 99/00: United 2 Harps 3, Harps 4 United 0.
Recent league form: United: LDDLL; Harps: LWWWD.
Leading scorers: United: Gannon 5; Harps: Mulligan 11.
Referee: J Stacey (Athlone).
First Division
The top four all have plenty to play for in this evening's first-division games with Bray Wanderers looking to wrap up the title while Longford, Kilkenny and Dundalk must concern themselves first and foremost with keeping their promotion ambitions alive.
Wanderers, who must win to be sure of beating Kilkenny into second place, will be without PJ O`Connell or Stephen Fox for their final game of the season and Pat Dvlin has drafted Alan Byrne and Alan Maher into the squad for the home game against Limerick.
Longford boss Stephen Kenny brings a full squad to Cobh where his side need just one point to be sure of automatic promotion while Kilkenny, who are at Gortakkegan, have Mike Kerley back from suspension but Brian Jordan is out with a hamstring problem.
Dundalk, meanwhile, go to Whitehall without Paul Campbell, Padraig Gallogley and John Whyte, all of whom are suspended, and Terry Eviston is also likely to have to cope without Paul Whelan and Mark Reid (suspended). John Reid and Robert Coombes may come in.
Matters may not, of course, be entirely resolved this evening, for if Kilkenny manage to overhaul Longford for second place or finish up fewer than three points ahead of Dundalk in third, then the three points gained against Limerick on Thursday will once again be battled over in court.
