There's a huge game at the bottom of the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division this Friday night as Drogheda United welcome Cork City to Weavers Park.
Kevin Doherty's dogged Drogs are currently eighth, five points clear of the Leesiders. A home win would lift them above Sligo Rovers, who face Shelbourne on Saturday, and significantly boost their survival ambitions.
It would also massively dent Cork's hopes of escaping ninth spot and a relegation play-off against whoever comes through the First Division play-offs.
They've been in a state of disarray for a large chunk of the campaign, with Colin Healy resigning as manager in May and Liam Buckley - who had only just taken up a post as sporting director - stepping into fill the void on a temporary basis alongside assistant boss Richie Holland, head of academy Liam Kearney, first-team coach Declan Coleman and goalkeeping coach Anthony Fennelly.
Recent results have not been good - notwithstanding Monday's FAI Cup win over Waterford - and Cork are now in a serious scrap to avoid going down having earned promotion to the top flight last year.
"That situation with Colin Healy and Liam Buckley is an absolute mess," Paul Corry said on the RTÉ Soccer Podcast.
"When Colin left and Liam was in a director of football position and now manager - and Liam is more than capable, I'm not saying he isn't - but I think clarity is needed at that club of what direction they're going to take it forward.
"I don't think that's helped performances or results at all. There was a bit of a bounce when Liam got the job but there's been so much uncertainty since then and it's no coincidence to my eyes that a sort of uncertainty is creeping into the performances and results now.
"For me that's one where they either need to give it to 'Bucko' until the end of the season or just tidy it up and get somebody else in charge to see out the rest of the year, but I don't think that's helping performances."
Cork tried to lure highly-rated Drogs boss Doherty to Turner's Cross at the start of this month. He turned it down, opting to stay with the Louth club, who perhaps do not have the points on the board their general performances have merited.
"It would be a lot for Kevin to up sticks and commit to Cork halfway through the season when they're in a massive dogfight down there," Corry added.
"It's not like they were putting a team who were fighting for European positions in front of his eyes and asking him to make a decision. I didn't think that was one he was ever going to take.
"Kevin, if he keeps doing his job well at Drogheda, might fancy a job closer to home and maybe one with a side that's going to be competing in the middle to upper echelons of the League of Ireland."
Conan Byrne concurred with that assessment, but also highlighted the attraction Cork City still hold.
"Cork is a massive club, let's not forget about that," he said.
"You need to back yourself as a manager in these situations and they don't come much bigger than Cork, but at the same time he's very loyal, Kev, and I don't think that he would have left Drogheda for a rival relegation side so close to the end of the season.
"I just think with Cork, they're really struggling - one point from a possible 12 in the their last four games in the league isn't great.
"To go up to a tight pitch at Weavers Park in Drogheda is a difficult ask. But the incentive will be there for Cork as well - if they win it brings it down to two points and even closer to Sligo, they can drag Sligo into it.
"The relegation places, we always seem to be mentioning Drogheda and Cork, but Sligo are only one point clear of Drogheda. It's building up to be a fantastic end-of-season run-in from a league title perspective but also from a relegation perspective."
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