As we head into the final stretch of the League of Ireland Premier Division season, a title race unlike any we've seen in recent years is shaping up to be a thriller going right down to the wire.
Shelbourne, who have defied expectations to sit top of the table all season, are losing momentum at the worst possible time.
Just one win in eight games has seen their gap narrow, and now, as the finish line approaches, the competition has caught up.
Derry City and Shamrock Rovers, each with their own ups and downs, are right on their heels, setting up a thrilling three-horse race for the title.
The psychology of a title run-in is as fascinating as the physical and tactical demands.
At this stage, every player at Shelbourne, Derry, and Shamrock Rovers will be telling themselves that they can be the ones lifting the trophy on 1 November.
Belief is crucial in these moments, and it's something Damien Duff, Ruaidhrí Higgins, and Stephen Bradley will be instilling in their squads.
Even when the pressure mounts and legs tire, the mental edge can be the difference between silverware and nearly men. But belief alone won't be enough; execution under pressure will define this run-in.
For Shelbourne, this season has already been a triumph. Duff has overachieved with a squad few thought capable of mounting a serious title challenge.
The foundations of their success lie in disciplined defending, fitness, and tactical structure, but cracks are showing.
Having led the league for much of the year, the weight of expectation seems to be taking its toll. One win in their last eight is not the form of champions, and their remaining fixtures offer little respite.
Shelbourne face Sligo Rovers this evening, St Patrick's Athletic, Shamrock Rovers, Waterford, Drogheda United, and finally Derry City – a brutal run in against teams with their own motivations, whether European qualification, survival or the title itself.
Tonight’s clash with Sligo is particularly significant. Despite Shelbourne only losing five games all season, two of those losses have been against Sligo, they’ve been Shelbourne’s bogey team.
This psychological edge Sligo hold could weigh heavily on a Shelbourne side already under strain.
Duff, though, will be preaching belief. He’s done the improbable already this season by putting his side in title contention, and he’ll be reminding his players that their fate is still in their hands.
His rallying cry will no doubt be along the lines of, "Nobody remembers the nearly men, go out and be remembered."
Derry City, on the other hand, will be ruing missed opportunities. For much of the season, they’ve looked like the team most likely to topple Shelbourne, but inconsistency has plagued them.
Higgins will know that his side should be in a more comfortable position. Still, their remaining fixtures – starting tonight at Drogheda – offer hope.
With home games against Bohemians and Sligo and an away trip to Dundalk before facing St. Pat's and Shelbourne in their final two matches, Derry will fancy their chances.
If they are still in the hunt with two games left, Higgins will treat those fixtures as cup finals. And with Derry also in the FAI Cup semi-final, a domestic double could be the reward for a team that has flirted with greatness all season but hasn’t quite grasped it yet.
Then there’s Shamrock Rovers. All season, they looked out of the title race, their form rocky, their dominance waning.
But Bradley’s side have shown why they’ve won the last four titles, storming back into contention with a series of decisive performances.
Of the three rivals, Rovers have the easiest run-in on paper, with their toughest matches against St Pat's tonight and Shelbourne to follow. After that, it’s Drogheda, Dundalk, and Waterford – all winnable games for a side that knows how to close out a season.
Rovers also have the benefit of experience. Bradley’s squad has been here before, and that could make all the difference. They know what it takes to win titles, and that psychological edge cannot be overstated.
For Bradley, the final games will be more about execution than motivation.
His players understand what’s at stake, and they have the muscle memory of success to fall back on. The task for Rovers is simple: keep winning, and the title could yet be theirs, making it an unprecedented five in a row.
The mindset approaches of the three managers reflect their differing positions.
Duff, I imagine, is playing the underdog card, a mindset that has worked so well for Shelbourne throughout the season.
Derry, for a side that didn't take advantage of other teams’ failures throughout the season, still have the quality to go all the way
He’ll be stressing that nobody expected them to be here, and now that they are, they need to embrace it.
Higgins, meanwhile, will be likely drilling into his squad that they’ve underachieved so far but that none of that matters if they get the results in these final games.
Derry, for a side that didn’t take advantage of other teams’ failures throughout the season, still have the quality to go all the way.
Bradley, on the other hand, will be calmest of the trio. His side has the experience, the easier fixtures, and the mentality of champions.
He doesn’t need to say much; his players know what’s required.
With such fine margins at play, tonight’s matches could be pivotal.
Shelbourne face their Achilles heel in Sligo, Derry travel to a tricky Drogheda side, and Shamrock Rovers take on St Pat's in what could be the game of the night.
One slip-up from any of these sides could swing the title race in another direction.
Nerves will be frayed, and the pressure will mount, but that’s what makes a title run-in so exciting.
The next few weeks promise twists and turns, and it’s anyone’s guess who will be lifting the trophy come 1 November.
