Shelbourne are in pole position to secure a fourth place finish in the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division and with it a possible place in the Europa Conference League next year.
Shels boss Damien Duff has worked wonders with just six defeats in 35 matches, far outperforming their resources.
Now backed by a takeover from Hull City owner Acun Ilıcalı, the future looks bright for the Tolka Park side after almost two decades of largely struggling.
Tonight's race for fourth place is complex and also could be fruitless in the quest for European football.
Dundalk and Bohemians still have an outside chance of sneaking into fourth.
Lilywhites manager Stephen O’Donnell has put off-field concerns aside to oversee a strong end to the campaign, beating Sligo Rovers and Bohs 2-0 to give themselves a chance.
They not only need a win in UCD tonight but will also go in search of a big score to improve their goal difference.
Bohs have paid the price for a poor second half of the season. Seven wins in their last 20 games has left them down in sixth place and needing a lot to go their way.
Cork City, consigned to the relegation play-off and sure to have an eye on that game, are the visitors to Dalymount Park tonight.
The permutations are as follows.
- Shelbourne will get fourth with a win
- Shelbourne will get fourth with a draw if Dundalk fail to beat UCD by four goals
- Dundalk will get fourth if Shelbourne draw and they beat UCD by four goals
- Dundalk will get fourth if they win and Shelbourne lose
- Bohemians will get fourth with a win if Shelbourne and Dundalk lose
- Bohemians will get fourth with a three-goal win if Dundalk draw and Shelbourne lose
- Bohemians will get fourth with a six-goal win if Shelbourne draw and Dundalk fail to win
Simple?
The final equation relates to the FAI Cup final. Bohemians will take the Conference League spot should they lift the trophy on Sunday 12 November.
As such the Gypsies still have two chances and the cup certainly represents their best opening.
Elsewhere second place will be decided when Derry City host St Patrick’s Athletic.
City will look to take advantage from Pat’s knowing the cup final is in nine days’ time. They just need a point to take second spot.
The final game sees champions Shamrock Rovers prepare to lift the trophy against Sligo Rovers with little riding on the game.
It’ll be party time for the four-in-a-row league winners against the Bit O’Red who have endured a miserable season.
That match is live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
Drogheda United v Shelbourne, Weavers Park, 7.45pm
Damien Duff has called for cool heads on Shelbourne's biggest night in recent memory, describing his side as "highly motivated".
Harry Wood and Will Jarvis are fit to play in a big boost for Shels with number one goalkeeper Conor Kearns recovering from illness.
Duff said: "Listen we can’t get carried away looking at the bigger picture, points, permutations and goal difference. Park it, we’re going to win the game. It’s as simple as that. We’re not overthinking it. We’re going to try to get the best team on the pitch and play on the front foot.
"It’s a hard game, there are not many places in the league as difficult as Weavers Park, it’s not going to be an easy task. I’m highly respectful of the job Kevin Doherty has done.
"There’s some former Shels lads there, players in the team and squad have an added incentive to turn us over. We need to be ready for that, go in with calm heads and do our job."
United secured seventh spot with a 0-0 draw in Sligo last week, ensuring they will finish above the Bit O'Red and Cork City.
They will look to sign off a fine season on a high.
UCD v Dundalk, UCD Bowl, 7.45pm
Dundalk are set to enter a period of uncertainly when the league season finished.
Ownership and budgets dominate the agenda and just how they can compete in the top half without the European prize money they have been used to for so long.
They're still in the hunt, as winger Ryan O'Kane explains.
"Obviously, there are other deciding factors at play but all we can do is go up there, try and win the game, and try and get as many goals as we can," he said.
"If we do that, anything can happen.
"We’ve taken quite a few hard hits this season but we’re still in there with something to play for and I think it shows our resilience.
"If we win on Friday night, it’ll be five wins out of six which is a good response to the Galway, St Pat’s and Shelbourne games which were a real kick in the teeth.
"I think most people probably would have thought we were done and that we’d put the feet up but we’ve stuck at it and we’ve dug in and we’re looking to finish off on a high because you never know what will happen."
Louie Annesley and John Mountney are both missing but John Martin is back in contention after missing the last two games with a back injury.
UCD will end a really difficult season aiming to grow their 11-point total.
Boss Andy Myler will sign off as they begin a new era in the First Division.
Bohemians v Cork City, Dalymount Park, 7.45pm
Bohemians should be excited about the upcoming FAI Cup final date with St Patrick's Athletic as they look to extra revenge for the 2021 defeat.
Now in sixth place, an outside chance of fourth spot remains, but the Cup looks their greatest chance of Europe.
Finding a good performance ahead of the final is the priority for manager Declan Devine.
He said: "Our final league position is no longer in our hands but we are still in with a shout, so we have to take care of our own results and ensure we finish strongly.
"The last couple of weeks have been bitterly disappointing because we have put so much effort into our league campaign. We have spoken openly and honestly about points that we have left behind this year.
"There have been a lot of twists and turns. To think that 14 days ago we were targeting a win with the aim of moving up to second place, and then two defeats down the line we are in sixth fighting for our lives trying to finish fourth. That is obviously a bitter blow for everyone.
"But the reality for us is that European qualification is still very much in our hands, and we can’t lose sight of that. We are still one game away from qualifying for Europe through the Cup despite not being where we wanted to be in the league.
"We certainly feel we have left points behind us in the league. It has been difficult. We are 12 points better off than we were last season, and hopefully we can make that 15 against Cork City. But it’s absolutely not where we want to be.
"A club of this magnitude has got to be pushing for the top four. There is no shying away from that. It’s my job to achieve that, so there is no hiding place."
He concluded: "We can’t do anything about past results, we have to accept them. But what we can do is understand that we have two games left, and an opportunity to achieve something for the club that has not been achieved in a very long time, and I know the fans will be right behind us as we try to do that."
Cork are destined for the play-off in one week. They may alter their selection knowing the biggest battle is to come.
Derry City v St Patrick's Athletic, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, 7.45pm
It's rare for St Pat's to have the losing feeling after a fourth loss in 23 matches.
Jon Daly opted to experiment in the final home game with Shamrock Rovers and may mix and match again tonight ahead of the FAI Cup final.
Daly said: "We're trying to finish the league season off on a high.
"We're looking to the game and trying to finish the league season off on a high and try to get three points.
"We're happy to have qualified for Europe through the League already and will be looking to put in a positive display up in Derry.
"We are aware of their threats, they have very good attackers and lots of experience in defence and we know we'll need to be on our game.
"Our aim is to put in a good performance and try to build some more confidence leading into the final."
Tom Grivosti (knee), Axel Sjoberg (hamstring) and Harry Brockbank (quad) are all unavailable for this game.
Derry have a host of injury concerns, which has been a regular feature this year and possibly cost them a genuine tilt at the title.
Shane McEleney is ruled out. Adam O'Reilly is a major doubt while Michael Duffy, Jamie McGonigle and Danny Mullen are all carrying knocks and will be checked on matchday,
Derry boss Ruaidhri Higgins said: "They'll come here looking to win, of course they will, and they have that cup final coming up too, so it should be an interesting game.
"We want to finish on a high and claim the three points that would cement second place and send our supporters home happy.
"I have to be honest though and say that it has been hugely frustrating over the past couple of weeks that we haven’t been right in the mix for winning the title.
"We’ve left too many points behind and there have been real lessons learned that we will take with us going forward."
Shamrock Rovers v Sligo Rovers, Tallaght Stadium, 7.45pm, live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
Shamrock Rovers will celebrate their fourth league title in succession in front of over 7,000 fans at Tallaght Stadium tonight.
Manager Stephen Bradley is relishing the occasion.
"We're all looking forward to the night with all our friends, families and, obviously, the fans. It’s been hard work winning one, then two, three and getting four is difficult. It’s been about everybody chipping in every day and showing up. We’ve managed to win the fourth one which is brilliant, so it’ll be a special time in Tallaght stadium on Friday.
"We’ll have a full house, everyone will be there, and I’m looking forward to celebrating with them and enjoying that moment.
"They don’t come around too often, so we need to make sure we enjoy it together and really savour the moment. People have spoken about that special [Shamrock] Rovers four-in-a-row team of the 80s, we hear about them all the time and tonight we get to go and join them at that top table which is nice.
"We’ll have many of the 80's team there at the game to celebrate with us and that will be really special as well. They have been brilliant for us, so really looking forward to it all and enjoying the occasion with everyone."
The Hoops made 10 changes last Monday with a number of young players and number two goalkeeper Leon Pohls starting.
Ronan Finn and Alan Mannus are set to say goodbye.
Sligo just have pride to play for.
Manager John Russell said: "It's a tough venue as we know. The pitch is excellent, there’ll be a big crowd, the game is live on television and we can use it as an opportunity to showcase the talent we have at the club.
"I don’t think many will give us a chance and we can go there with a bit of freedom to express ourselves.
"That is something to look forward to and we have to approach it in that manner and of course be disciplined as well."
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