Top meets bottom in tonight's SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division matches, but perhaps it’s the clash of Stephen Kenny and John Caulfield’s teams that is the highlight.
With two sets of matches to come over the Bank Holiday weekend, we have never seen a table like it one-third the way through the season.
The top seven sides are separated by three points, with one of the strugglers early on in the year in Bohemians now the team with the most victories.
As Drogheda United make the long trip to Sligo while proudly at the summit, they will take on the highest scores in the league despite the Bit O’ Red being in tenth.
That sums the unconventional season so far in which any result seems possible.
United have picked up just two points from their last three matches, their worst run of form so far, yet the draws against Shelbourne and St Patrick’s Athletic were very credible.
Defeat in Galway last week when leading did hurt Kevin Doherty, as Moses Dyer struck twice in quick succession, but they remained on top due to the results below.
The game in Sligo is a good opportunity to return to winning ways and prove they can handle the heat in leading the league.
Behind them comes Galway United and St Patrick's Athletic, with the Tribesmen buoyed by their last victory and the Saints struggling to find a groove.
Pat's had been picking up points without playing well, until a late capitulation in north Dublin last week.
It had been coming with the loss of Aidan Keena one of the reason they have struggled. His return date still remains unknown.
The Tribesmen have the in-form striker in the league now with Dyer on seven goals and looking for more here.
Shamrock Rovers will fancy the job in Cork City, having put them to the sword just a few weeks ago in Tallaght Stadium.
The Hoops have had their own issues with leaking goals and could do with three points in the ultra competitive league.
City have had more injury woes this week with Benny Couto out until later in the summer.
Avoiding defeat would be a major fillip for them.
Shelbourne will make a return to the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, with that famous Harry Wood goal still fresh in their memory.
Damien Duff will not be dwelling on it tonight, however, with an important three points on offer.
It looked like Derry City were coming to the party after successive wins, before a surprise loss to Waterford.
It sets up tonight's game nicely.
The Blues are heading for Phibsborough to take on a Bohemians side with a much more different outlook after their super end of April.
Alan Reynolds' will take on his hometown club in search of a fourth victory on the spin.
After all the pressure they have felt this year, Bohs could find themselves just off top spot if they do come away with three points.
St Patrick's Athletic v Galway United, Richmond Park, 7.45pm
It was a new feeling in Stephen Kenny's 25-year managerial career in club football as he watched a victory turn to defeat in stoppage time in Dalymount Park.
St Pat's failed to keep hold of the game against Bohs after leading at half-time and for most of the second half.
Kenny said: "We were very disappointed to lose it. In the 89th minute we knew we were two points clear top of the table.
"To lose it, in my whole career in league games it hasn't happened before, so it's a tough one to take.
"We have to regroup now and it's all about Friday."
The return to Dublin 8 will be welcome for Pat's as they look to extend a 13-match unbeaten run in the Premier Division at the venue.
"It's last summer since we've been beaten at home, we've had good home form," Kenny stated.
"Galway have had an excellent start to the season, they've a lot of good players.
"It's a real tough challenge and one we must rise to as an occasion."
Anto Breslin is suspended after a red card last week, a decision Kenny described as ridiculous by the referee.
The same matchday squad that featured against Bohemians last Friday is available. Pat's have not given a timeline on Aidan Keena's return.
Derry City v Shelbourne, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, 7.45pm
Tiernan Lynch feels the Derry City players owe supporters a response after a limp display in Waterford last week.
Perhaps it's not that only on the mind of the Brandywell faithful, however.
They had to watch on as Shels lifted the league trophy in Derry.
It was a moment of hurt for the club as their season fell apart at the worst possible time.
The new stand at the Brandywell will see it's first major fixture as the Reds come to town.
Lynch feels it could bring the best out of City.
"The games just keep getting bigger and bigger," he claimed. But that's what we want. Coming off a disappointing Friday night, albeit we had a good week, I think we've got an element of a point to prove now to ourselves.
"We felt like we let ourselves down on Friday night. We felt like we let the fans down on Friday night. And it was a below par performance that we can't shy away from. We have to take squarely on the chin and try and put it right.
"And it's a game that we're actually really looking forward to. It's a good challenge for us. It's a good opportunity for us to measure where we are compared to the first game of the season. So it's something we're looking forward to.
"I continue to say that they are an honest bunch of boys. They are working very hard. Nobody wants to get better more than them. And then we just got to keep trying to improve.
"Hopefully over the next couple of weeks, with bodies coming back and with numbers coming back, and we'll be in a better place when those double headers come around."
Patrick Hoban, Ben Doherty and Sadou Diallo will miss out but will return to training in the next fortnight to put a different look on the Candystripes squad.
Cork City v Shamrock Rovers, Turner's Cross, 7.45pm
Stephen Bradley is expecting a much sterner test in this clash with Cork City compared to their previous meeting in April.
The Hoops were impressive in strolling to three points, although they have not won since.
Bradley said: "It will be a different game; there's no doubt about that. The 4-1 win is done, it’s forgotten about and irrelevant now. Cork have brought in one or two players since then and are coming off the back of a big win over Waterford. They’re at home, so we know it will be a different game and a difficult game."
The Hoops boss is keen to see his side improve in both attack and defence after leading a lead slip against Shelbourne last week.
"What I felt after the game against Shelbourne is what we feel, having reviewed the game and gone through all the numbers. It's definitely a game we should win and again, what we said after the game, we feel large parts of what we did were really good. We just need to be more ruthless in both boxes."
Dylan Watts, Dan Cleary, Aaron McEneff, Danny Mandroiu and Gary O'Neill miss out for the Hoops due to injury.
Tim Clancy admits City will be more defensive for this encounter compared to the Tallaght mauled.
"We were probably too brave in how we pressed and were too open," Clancy said.
"Since that, we've had positive performances. If we’d held on to win against Sligo, we’d have been seven points off the top.
"There’s no real good time to play a team of that quality. It was a harsh lesson in the second half and we’ll have to have to be better."
Sligo Rovers v Drogheda United, The Showgrounds, 7.45pm
Returning strikers is the theme of tonight's game in The Showgrounds as Wilson Waweru returns to the Sligo Rovers squad, while Douglas James-Taylor could make his first start of the campaign.
A First Division player for the majority of the year, John Russell took a gamble on Waweru after his loan spell at Cobh Ramblers from Galway United yielded some goal.
Waweru repaid the faith with seven goals before tearing his Achillies tendon to end his season in September.
Eight months later, Sligo will be thrilled to have more ammunition in attack.
Scoring hasn't been the issue the Bit O' Red.
They scrambled a draw against Cork City last week but risk being cut adrift if the likes of the Rebels and Waterford pick up more wins.
United have been a tricky opponent for Russell's side, particularly in Louth.
The Sligo boss has been quick to praise Kevin Doherty's lside as they lead the division.
Drogheda are on the up at the moment and will be our hardest opponent yet this season", he said.
"They're really on form right now, despite their result against Galway last week.They have goals all over their team and we saw that up there back in February.
"Kevin has done an amazing job and they'll be looking to recapture that momentum they had straight away after last week. But we've had a very positive week in training and we've spoken about how we'll deal with the game."
The return of Waweru has given Russell a lift and he may opt to make changes after the below par performance last week.
"Our medical team did a great job getting Wilson back so early", he said. "We had thought it might be a midsummer return for him but he was back running and striking a ball ahead of schedule and that's down to both the work of the medical staff and the player.
"Wilson has all the ingredients of a top striker and we're delighted to have him back. Of course, we won't rush him but it does almost feel like having a new player in."
James-Taylor was key to United's remarkable 2024 season but an injury in pre-season ruled him out of the opening quarter of the campaign.
After coming off the bench in Galway, Doherty has not revealed what role he will play here.
"We will have to wait and see," he told the Drogheda Independent.
"There's no physical way Dougie can be 100% yet, but he did well and was involved in a number of incidents where he came close to getting shots away and he’s been training properly for the last week.
"With the run of games we are on there will be changes at times, but I want to emphasise how happy I am with the two lads (Warren Davis and Thomas Oluwa). They’ve been brilliant."
Bohemians v Waterford FC, Dalymount Park, 7.45pm
It almost went under the radar that Waterford registered their shock win over Derry City as late drama elsewhere grabbed the headlines.
It was a massive win for the Blues and interim boss Matt Lawlor.
With Ruaidhri Higgins strongly linked with the Coleraine job this week, Lawlor's chances of getting the job on a permanent basis were down no harm.
He may have to put together a run of wins to land the post, knowing it would be a giant leap towards safety.
Bohs have managed to do so, securing three on the bounce and now on the cusp of the the top half.
Despite the turnaround, Bohs boss Alan Reynolds is not getting carried away.
He said: "When results weren’t going our way, I’m sure people grew tired of hearing how hard I believe the lads were working in training but when it translates on to the pitch in the way it has in the past couple of weeks, I hope our supporters see what I meant.
"It’s what I see from them in training every week, and it’s what I believe they are capable of producing on the pitch.
"Our players’ persistence paid off in all three games now but we know that the challenge for us now is to keep that going. We can’t take the foot off the pedal. We enjoyed the win on the night but you can’t dwell on it, it’s straight back to work for the next one."
Bohemians are without Leigh Kavanagh (hamstring), Connor Parsons (hamstring) and Alex Lacey (hamstring) but Dawson Devoy returns from suspension and Lys Mousset (Achilles) is back in contention.
Waterford will be without Andy Boyle (calf) and Trae Coyle (hamstring), whilst Matty Smith continues his rehab following his long-term injury.
Lawlor is plotting a performance filled with passion.
He explained: "We are looking forwards to the trip to Dalymount Friday. Bohemians are in fine form at the moment but we will travel with a plan, hunger, desire and a will to play for the jersey.
"We have two games in four days over the Bank Holiday and we look forward to seeing all our supporters cheering us on."
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