With four all-Premier Division ties in the cup on Friday evening, at least one non-league side, Tolka Rovers or Killester United, will make it safely through to the quarter-finals and another, Sheriff YC, will probably fancy their chances of upsetting Athlone Town.
At Turner’s Cross, though, two of the league’s top four will be battling to keep alive their hopes of a trophy this season and retain a European Plan B in the case they are the ones to miss our through the league.
Just to add a little to the mix, both took a thumping in big games on Monday.
St Patrick's Athletic will again be without Christy Fagan while Kenny Browne and Ian Morris face fitness tests but Killian Brennan returns after missing the game in Dundalk through suspension.
String of problems
Cork City have a whole string of problems with Steven Beattie cup-tied while John Dunleavy, Danny Morrissey and Gavan Holohan are still out and John Kavanagh, Alan Bennett and Darren Dennehy are amongst the long list of players carrying knocks.
Ciaran Kilduff returns to the Dundalk squad as the league leaders head to Galway where the bookies see the outcome as a foregone conclusion but the hosts, having put Stephen Kenny's side out of the League Cup a few weeks ago, will hope to prove them wrong.
That one went to penalties whereas a draw this evening would send the tie back to Oriel Park and so United’s best chance of progressing is an outright win while they have home advantage.
Bohemians are in a position to make a few changes to the side that was beaten in Bray on Monday as Wanderers make the return journey. Robbie Creevy and Eoin Wearen are ruled out by injury while Jake Kelly is cup-tied but Karl Moore returns from illness. Derek Prendergast, Anto Murphy and Keith Buckley were simply rested the last day.
Athlone manager, Alan Mathews, appears to have taken a similar approach in the lead up to his side’s visit to Clontarf where Daniel Purdy and Philly Gorman are set to return against Sheriff.
Given the size of his squad and the length of its injury list, Derry manager Peter Hutton doesn't have that sort of "luxury", he says, and he certainly has a few problems to contend with as Drogheda come to the Brandywell.
Conor McCormack and Ciaran O'Connor are both cup-tied while Stephen Dooley and Aaron Barry are still out.
