The National League will hope to begin the New Year with a bang as champions St Patrick's Athletic, enveloped in their first sticky patch of the season after three successive draws, take on a resurgent Shelbourne before the live television cameras.
The fixture has rarely failed to deliver on its promise in recent seasons and tomorrow night should be no exception before a full Richmond Park.
"It's not the best time to be playing Shelbourne, who've put a bit of a run together," says St Patrick's manager Liam Buckley. "But that was the case last week at UCD and against the teams we played in the weeks just before. Ourselves and Cork are up there at the top so every team is gunning for us.
"We lost up at Dundalk and then drew with Bohemians who are down there at the bottom. When you're champions you can never take anything for granted and expect an easy game.
"We haven't really played badly in any of the three draws and overall I was pleased to take a point from them.
"Our 3-5-2 formation is quite offensive. But we've conceded seven goals in the last four games as against nine in the first 15. So we're conscious of having to tighten things up a little."
Shelbourne, with three wins in a row, are fast approaching their old footballing selves with the crucial added ingredient of work-rate. Their manager, Dermot Keely, has a welcome selection headache with left-back Declan Geoghegan fit again following a hamstring strain.
Despite being predominantly right-footed, Owen Heary has been exceptional at left back in Geoghegan's absence. Keely, however, is likely to bring Geoghegan back in, with Heary resuming a more familiar role on the right side of midfield and . 18-year-old Richie Baker, superb against Derry last week, dropping to the bench.
Goalkeeper Alan Gough is back from suspension while Paul Doolin and Greg Costello have shaken off slight chest infections. St Patrick's skipper Eddie Gormley has been suffering with a slight stomach bug this week, but expects to be fit.
Last two seasons: 1997/98: St Patrick's Athletic 2 Shelbourne 3, Shelbourne 0 St Patrick's Athletic 2, St Patrick's Athletic 0 Shelbourne 0. 1998/99: Shelbourne 0 St Patrick's Athletic 1.
Current league form: St Patrick's Athletic: LWDDD; Shelbourne: DLWWW.
Leading league scorers: St Patrick's Athletic: Molloy (11), Shelbourne: Sheridan (7).
Betting: Home: Evens, Draw: 2/1, Away: 5/2.
Referee: H Byrne (Dublin).
First Division
Galway United can return to third place in the table for the first time in two months with a win over Monaghan United at Terryland Park tomorrow afternoon (3.15).
Don O'Riordan's side have slowly regained their early-season form, scoring nine goals in four unbeaten games. Striker Ricky O'Flaherty, who missed Sunday's draw in Limerick with a calf strain, is fit and returns to a full-strength squad.
