The race to take the final place in next year's SSE Airtricity League Premier Division has been simmering over the last week or two and now it's close to coming to the boil.
On Friday, First Division semi-final winners Waterford and Galway United will lock horns at Markets Field with the prize of advancing to a promotion/relegation play-off decider against UCD on the line.
Based on recent form, the wind seems to be in Waterford's sails and Danny Searle's outfit are the team that UCD would be keener to avoid, according to former Students, Shamrock Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Paul Corry.
"I think UCD want to avoid Waterford at this moment in time. The form that they've shown in the league, but not only that, some of the results they had in the FAI Cup, would make you believe that Galway's a bit of an easier fixture for UCD," he told this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast.
"I think UCD probably favour playing against a team who are maybe a bit more conservative in their approach or sit back a bit and let UCD have the ball. That would probably favour them a bit more and naturally they would want to avoid Phoenix Patterson and co, who have been so lethal going forward.
"And UCD tend to give away quite a few goals so I'm sure they'll be looking for a Galway win on Friday night.
"But those games are so difficult. In a once-off game, the first goal is so important and once you have something to latch onto and protect, you can maybe manage the game a bit easier.
"It's often a lottery, sometimes momentum and form goes out the window and it just comes down to who shows up on the day. But UCD will fancy themselves with the form they've shown. They tend to start the season a little slower with the lack of experience they have, and obviously they had a number of players playing in the Premier Division for the first time.
"They've shown in the second half of the season that they're capable of picking up points and putting in performances on any given night.
"When that play-off comes round, they'll fancy themselves against either one of (Galway or Waterford) but you'd imagine they would rather Galway out of the two."
While UCD will be watching Friday night's action keenly, former St Patrick's Athletic and Shelbourne midfielder Conan Byrne believes how both Galway and Waterford's rearguards handle distinct puzzles posed by their opponents will make the difference.
"It's nearly going to be a clash of the two defences if I'm being honest because you have the three up front for Waterford who are playing really, really well and then you have a makeshift left-back that has played up front for Galway," he said, referencing Stephen Walsh in the latter case.
"He's got 16 goals. I remember playing against him years ago and I would never have said in a million years that he would be a goalscorer but he's done so well over the last number of years since John Caulfield has come in."
"With both attacking threats that both teams have - yes, different styles of play, one (Galway) a more direct route up to Rob Manley and Stephen Walsh, the other (Waterford) intricate play through the middle - I think it's going to be an interesting game and there hasn't been much difference between the sides this season.
"Two wins for Galway, a win for Waterford and a 2-2 draw back in March, so Galway have the upper hand a little bit in terms of previous meetings."
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