All four Extra.ie FAI Cup quarter-finals take place tonight, with two of the big guns strong favourites to advance to the last four, while Dundalk's troubles could deepen further.
Bohemians host non-league Maynooth University Town at Dalymount Park, while St Patrick's Athletic welcome First Division strugglers Wexford to Richmond Park.
The Dublin teams will be expected to comfortably progress but the opportunity for the visiting sides is huge, with little expectation on their shoulders.
Bohs are likely to keep one eye on Monday’s vital SSE Airtricity Premier Division game with Derry City in their bid to qualify for Europe through the league - and may rotate one or two players - especially given the energy expended in winning against Finn Harps last Monday.
Ali Coote picked up a injury in that game and could miss out.
Maynooth are coached by former Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers striker Ciaran Kilduff and have sold out their allocation tonight for the fixture in north Dublin.
The Leinster Senior League outfit saw off Cobh Ramblers to reach this stage.
Wexford recorded just a third league win of the season last week against Cobh Ramblers, and have also seen off Cabinteely and Killester-Donnycarney so far in this competition.
While they remain bottom of the second tier, manager Ian Ryan has brought improvement to Ferrycarrig Park since his appointment in the summer, as the side have picked up 12 points from 14 games.
He serves a touchline suspension tonight in Richmond Park, but the likes of Jack Moylan [on loan from Bohs] and Lorcan Fitzgerald, who he has brought in since his arrival in May, will need big games if the Slaneysiders are to cause a shock. Fitzgerald, who is the player-assistant manager at Wexford, is a doubt though after hobbling off in last week's victory over Cobh.
St Pat’s saw their title hopes slip with a 2-0 loss to Sligo Rovers last week in the Premier Division.
They will be firmly focused on reaching the last four and a first final appearance since famously winning the competition in 2014 for the first time in over 50 years.
Robbie Benson and John Mountney will miss the game through injury, Lee Desmond continues to recover well from his concussion suffered against Waterford.
Manager Stephen O’Donnell said: "We are obviously disappointed from the league result against Sligo Rovers, but you just have to move on quickly. The cup is coming up and we want to go all the way, so we are looking forward to it.
"We are in a good place. We have worked hard throughout the whole year and that is showing on the league table. We are up there fighting when people probably didn't give us much of a chance, so the momentum is good, and the camp is good so we are looking forward to playing Wexford in the cup.
"Everyone wants to be in the Aviva come the end of the season and that is what everyone looks forward to when the draw is made so we are under no illusions as to what Wexford will bring. We have to turn up and be at our best because anyone can get turned over on any given day in the cup."
Ryan, speaking to Wexford FC TV, said: "It's something to look forward to. We haven't been there as a club in a while. Even the players have probably never played against Pat's with the crowds back.
"Everything external is brilliant, but it's important that we're not just going there for the day out - we're going there to compete and try to get to the semi-final."
Many eyes will be on Finn Park as Dundalk enter the last-chance saloon to rescue anything from their domestic season.
Now facing the genuine prospect of a relegation play-off after a run of one point from seven games, the Lilywhites are certainly out of contention for the top four for the first time since 2012.
Lifting the cup is the only way to provide them with European football but winning even one game looks a big ask right now.
Vinny Perth remains without a huge number of key players and while they have been playing well in patches in games, consistency over 90 minutes is key.
Daniel Cleary and Han Jeongwoo are available after suspension but Patrick McEleney, Wilfried Zahibo, David McMillan, Brian Gartland, Darragh Leahy and Cameron Yates are all out with injuries.
Ollie Horgan would much rather have points for Finn Harps in the league meeting between the teams in two weeks’ time in what will be a huge game at the bottom of the table.
However, an Aviva Stadium appearance would reward the progress the Donegal side have made in recent years and provide genuine hope for the future rather than the constant promotion/relegation slog.
They will be without the injured Johnny Dunleavy while Mark Anthony McGinley is suspended after receiving an additional two-game ban. Will Seymore, Jordan Mustoe and Sean Boyd are doubts for the game.
Speaking ahead of the game, Horgan told FinnHarps.ie: "Look, on paper Dundalk have a fabulous side. I know they have some injury woes of their own but don't let their league position fool anyone, they have an abundance of quality there and if they’re on their game at all it will be a massive test for us."
Finally, Waterford are another side that know a latter stage Cup run could ignite their season. Marc Bircham and new owner Richard Forrest have raised spirits in the southeast and while there is a fight on to avoid the play-off, there could be more to come from them.
"We know UCD will be well up for the game so we can't take anything for granted," said Bircham, who is without Anthony Wordsworth, Eddie Nolan, Shane Griffin, Paul Martin, Max Hutchison and Cian Kavanagh, with Junior Quitirna and Greg Halford both doubts.
"They're doing well in the First Division and had a big win last weekend so we know there won't be anything easy in this game."
UCD are preparing for their own end-of-season games after jumping to second place in the First Division – with the likes of Republic of Ireland Under-21 international Colm Whelan and Liam Kerrigan scoring goals for fun.
The duo have notched 27 between them this season and top-flight Longford Town have already fallen to the Students. While goals haven't been an issue for the Belfield Bowl side of late, with no fewer than 19 scored in their last five games, they are prone to errors at the back, with six conceded in their last three games.
College are 11 points clear of sixth-placed Athlone, with just five rounds of fixtures to play, so their play-off place would appear to be as good as secured at this stage. They haven't lost a game since mid-July, and just three seasons ago they beat the Blues to reach the last four of the Cup.
"We go into it with a good run of form and we hope for the best," UCD winger Kerrigan told RTÉ Sport after scoring a hat-trick in last's Friday's south Dublin derby victory over Cabinteely.
"They'll be expected to win. We're the First Division club so we can go in as the underdogs and see how it goes."
Kerrigan is one of a handful of UCD players with top-flight experience, having played for both the Students and Sligo in the Premier Division. Defender Sam Todd also togged out for Finn Harps in the top flight in 2019, while midfielder Paul Doyle played with College in the same season as they were relegated down to the First Division.
