With a place in both the Inter-Toto and Setanta Cups still potentially on offer to the team that finishes fourth in the league this season, Drogheda United take on Longford tonight in an ostensibly mid-table game in which there is actually everything to play for.
United can assure themselves of the Setanta Cup spot as well as one in the UEFA Cup by winning the FAI Cup on December 4th but if they finish as runners up then they must hope Cork lift the league title so that they gain entry to the events anyway.
If Derry win the championship, however, and Cork finish second, with Shelbourne third, then both of those clubs would go into the UEFA Cup while the Setanta Cup place earned by Stephen Kenny's side for winning the League Cup as well as the Inter-Toto Cup spot, currently destined for the third-placed team, would revert to the fourth-placed club in the league instead.
"We got nothing for finishing fourth last year but this year there's potentially a lot at stake so it's important we keep on performing in the league to the very last game," said Paul Doolin last night.
The United boss, however, will be without Mark Rooney, Jermaine Sandvliet and Graham Gartland (all suspended) as well as injured pair Shane Robinson and Paul Bernard. Paul Keegan and Jason Gavin, however, are both available again.
In the wake of Longford's 5-0 defeat by Finn Harps, and a number of other major setbacks this season, Alan Matthews says that the club have undertaken a "root and branch" review of the squad and that substantial changes will be made during the close season. No names are being mentioned yet although Stephen O'Brien has announced his intention to retire and Barry Ferguson has been linked with a move to Bohemians. In the meantime, there will be a number of switches to tonight's starting 11.
The FAI Cup final, meanwhile, has been fixed for Lansdowne Road after extensive consultation with the two clubs involved. The alternative had been to stage the game at the 14,000 capacity RDS but the clubs maintain that they can attract a bigger attendance. Next year's league season will start on March 10th.
