Who will be the last man standing come the end of the premier division season? The battle at the bottom has become a fascinating sideshow especially so now that Bohemians have the league title in their locker at Dalymount Park.
All credit to Pat Fenlon and his squad for wrapping up the championship so quickly but there is an argument to be made that the pressure at the bottom this season is even greater for Jeff Kenna, Stephen Henderson, Paul Hegarty and Pete Mahon.
The attrition rate in the Premier Division this year is crucifying. Imagine any other league in the world where 25% of all the teams go down? For clubs with very real financial issues to contend with, where wages are slashed or withdrawn completely, where crowds are small and morale is low the job of the manager is more like mission impossible.
It's still too close to call but three of the bottom four will face the trap door in less than a month with three crucial games still to go.
Galway’s away win at Inchicore puts them in the box seat at the moment and for the Tribesmen to achieve that result without Jay O'Shea who was across Dublin with Pat Fenlon and the Under 23 squad base in Portmarnock is remarkable.
O’Shea, who recently made his Under 21 debut as well, has been vital to Galway’s renaissance and it made no sense to me to see him holed up in the Republic of Ireland camp when he should have been on the field.
Where is the logic in this club versus country conundrum? While I think it’s great that domestic players can get an international call up I seem to recall a justification from out Abbotstown direction that the reason that no locally based players were in the Trapattoni 'B' squad was because you couldn’t take them away from their league in the crucial run in period. Patent nonsense.
If I were Jeff Kenna I would have been ranting and raving but it is to his credit and the credit of the club that they got on with their business without their most influential player and still came away with the three points although Pat’s teamsheet is open to question.
It looked for all the world like they were resting their best players for the FAI Cup semi final against Bohemians on Friday. Galway didn’t have that luxury although they too face a cup semi final this weekend.
It’s Kenna’s first season in management and the former Republic of Ireland and Blackburn defender has shown in remarkably trying circumstances that he is made of the right stuff.
He took over at Terryland when the club had already dropped vital early points in the race to avoid relegation and then presided over a situation where many players were left go and others forced to take a cut in wages. That’s pressure.
The FAI cup run has acted as something of a springboard for Galway and rather than distracting the players it has given them a chance to find a rhythm and a momentum.
That momentum could yet prove unstoppable and if Kenna were to keep Galway up AND win the FAI cup in his rookie season surely he and not Fenlon would be in the running for the Manager of the Year award?
Which brings us to Stephen Henderson. It’s remarkable how little coverage Cobh’s achievements get in the national media. It could be something to do with their Saturday night home fixtures and the risible attitude towards the National League by the Sunday newspapers.
The parallels with last season when Cobh came storming through with a late run to lift the First Division Championship trophy are eerie. How much more of an achievement would it be if the Ramblers survived the cull this year?
The almost obligatory money worries came to Cobh early in the campaign and there were times when they couldn’t buy a goal but credit to the management of Henderson and Martin Cambridge they always encouraged their young team to play good football.
Which they do.
In fact not so long ago another Premier League manager said to me that Cobh are the best footballing side they have played all season. And don’t forget Hendo used to be a goalkeeper. What would they know about football?
Cobh have Bray, Bohemians and Derry in their last three fixtures of the season with two of those, Bray and Derry, away from home so no pressure for Hendo there then? He will handle it all as usual with dignity and grace and a refreshing, idiosyncratic honesty.
Galway are away to Derry and UCD and at home to Finn Harps in their last three fixtures and Harps, of course aren't out of it yet although their performance on RTÉ TWO last week had the look of a haunted team. However Paul Hegarty will I'm sure be targetting seven points from nine which could yet save them.
Pete Mahon is by far the most experienced of the four gaffers currently suffering from squeaky bum and he knows his students are nervously awaiting their football finals.
UCD players, supporters and staff probably realise they may need three wins against champions Bohemians, St. Pat's and crucially Galway United in the last game of the season if they are to achieve the 'Great Escape'
Remember THE FOUR GAFFERS when you consider the extraordinary climax to the Premier league this season. True football men of integrity and honour who have all somehow managed to maintain grace under pressure. Strap yourself in gentlemen and hang on for the ride of your life!
Tony O’Donoghue is Group Football Correspondent for RTÉ.
