TODAY (7.30)
Derry City v Shelbourne
Without either Liam Coyle or Eamonn Doherty from the team that started against St Patrick's a week ago, Felix Healy's men will struggle to hold their own this evening, but then the pressure is very much on the visitors and City's youngsters may like the idea of one of the clubs trying to take the title having to come at them on home turf.
Gavin Dykes is still out for the Candystripes, as is the newly transfer-listed Tom Mohan, but Paul Curran is back in the reckoning. For the Dubliners, Stephen Geoghegan is the only player certain to miss out, but Mark Rutherford and Dessie Baker are slightly doubtful. Both should play, however, as should Dave Campbell, Alan Gough and Liam Kelly, all of whom sat out the first leg of the League Cup final during the week.
"It's a real test for any team to go to the Brandywell needing a result, but with the strength of the rivalry that has built up between us over the last couple of seasons, it will be particularly tough," says Damien Richardson.
Last two seasons: 1996/97: Shelbourne 2 Derry 2, Derry 2 Shelbourne 2, Shelbourne 1 Derry 1; 97/98: Derry 2 Shelbourne 2, Shelbourne 1 Derry 0.
Recent league form: Derry: LWDLL, Shelbourne: WDLWW.
Leading scorers: Derry: Keddy and Hargan (five apiece), Shelbourne: S Geoghegan (12), Scully (10).
Betting: Home: 5/2, Draw: 9/4, Away: 6/5. Referee: J McDermott (Dublin).
Kilkenny City v Cork City
After a remarkable run of draws in the league, broken only by their defeat at Dalymount Park three weeks ago, Cork need to get the show back on the road at Buckley Park where a win is required if they are to revive their campaign for a place in Europe.
Patsy Freyne's most recent injury, in the game against Dundalk last week, will not help matters, but everybody else should be all right, leaving Dave Barry with plenty of options in the centre of the field.
Kilkenny, for the first time this season, have a full panel to select from, with Paul Cashin and Kevin Kelly, who have both been struggling for long spells this season, both fit and well ahead of the visit of Cork.
"They've drawn a lot of games which has been frustrating for them, but from where we are even those draws look like very impressive results. This time, though, we need to win even more than they do and we go out there looking to get forward and get some goals," says Alfie Hale.
Last two seasons: 1996/97: Did not meet; 97/98: Kilkenny 0 Cork 2, Cork 1 Kilkenny 0.
Recent league form: Kilkenny: DLWDL, Cork: DDDLD.
Leading scorers: Kilkenny: Hale and Kelly (three apiece), Cork: O'Brien (seven), Cahill and Kabia (five apiece).
Betting: Home: 11/2, Draw: 5/2, Away: 1/2. Referee: J Casey (Waterford).
Tomorrow (3.15)
Bohemians V Finn Harps
Charlie McGeever's home form is such that he and his team are confident that they can wrap up a place in Europe in the league even if, given their solid progress so far, the Cup looks to present them with a particularly welcome opportunity to progress.
While their home form has been impressive, however, they have not travelled nearly so well, beating nobody but the bottom two on the road and taking just one point from five visits to the capital so far.
This trip, they will hope, may go better for them for they are slightly closer to full strength than their hosts and on something of a high after moving safely in the quarter-finals of the cup in midweek. Jonathan Speak is out and Davie Dowling remains doubtful after the knock he picked up against Drogheda, while Garret Callaghan was forced to come off early against Galway and may not be fit to play this time.
The Dubliners, meanwhile, will have to chop and change again with Donal Broughan and Peter Hanrahan both suspended and Tommy Byrne highly doubtful due to ankle ligament damage. Tony O'Connor should be fit, despite taking a knock in the defeat at Sligo, while Derek Swan hopes to be in the reckoning and Joe Hanrahan has shaken off a cold.
Last two seasons: 1996/97: Harps 2 Bohemians 2, Bohemians 3 Harps 1, Harps 1 Bohemians 2; 97/98: Bohemians 4 Harps 2, Harps 3 Bohemians 2.
Recent league form: Bohemians: DWWDL, Harps: LWDLW.
Leading scorers: Bohemians: Lawlor (eight), Harps: Speak (eight), Mulligan (five).
Betting: Home: 6/5, Draw: 2/1, Away: 11/4. Referee: A O'Regan (Cork).
First Division
The game of the weekend is at Terryland Park where Galway desperately need to beat Limerick if they are to retain any serious hope of winning promotion this season. Going out of the cup this week will not have helped morale in the United camp. Currently eight points behind, a win would set up a tightly-contested run-in, but should Limerick come out on top, even O'Riordan concedes that making up an 11-point deficit over eight games would be likely to be beyond his men.
The hosts have the same squad as for the trip to Ballybofey, which means just about everybody is available, the visitors are not so fortunate with Ray O'Halloran and goalkeeper Eddie Hickey both out long term, while Jason Purcell, Darren Browne and Jason O'Connor are all rated as 50-50. Derek Whyte is back after a long lay off, though, and manager Dave Connell reckons that, in their last couple of outings, he has detected an improvement in his side's performances which may prove to have been perfectly timed.
Betting courtesy of Paddy Power.
