On Wednesday night in Tallaght, the inevitable finally became official. Shamrock Rovers, despite a few recent minor stutters, clinched their fifth title in six years thanks to a Dylan Watts free-kick.
Stephen Bradley's side are used to crossing this finish line. This time, they limped over it, but over it they went nonetheless.
The conversation around Tallaght will shift now.
It will be about legacy. About history. About how this team managed to navigate a season of transition and pressure while still emerging on top.
There’s still so much for them to play for. European Conference League games and the big one – the chance to win the FAI Cup and seal a first domestic double since 1987.
But for the rest of the league, Wednesday night merely set the scene for what promises to be an exciting final day – a day soaked in drama, uncertainty, and the kind of football chaos that makes this league so compelling.
With Rovers having secured the title, attention now turns to fourth place – which may yet become a European place depending on the outcome of the cup showpiece.
And here we have the main event: St Patrick’s Athletic, Bohemians, and Drogheda United, all on 51 points.
One will finish fourth. Two will go home empty-handed. All three are desperate for Rovers to complete the double.
This fixture hasn’t done St Pat's any favours. They travel to Tolka Park to face a Shelbourne side with second place on their minds.
If Derry slip up in Cork, Joey O’Brien’s men could sneak into second place – and you can be sure that will be part of the pre-match team-talk.
For St Pat's, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Touted as title challengers at the start of the year, their campaign has fallen painfully short. A club and squad of their stature missing out on Europe would be a massive underachievement.
Up in Drogheda, the tie of the weekend takes place at Sullivan and Lambe Park, where Bohemians come to town.
It wasn’t that long ago that Alan Reynolds’ side looked nailed on for Europe. Four defeats in six changed that. They’ve lost their rhythm at precisely the wrong time and now have it all to do on the final day.
Kevin Doherty quietly continues to produce one of the great underdog stories of the season.
The club operates on the league’s thinnest resources and had to deal with huge off-pitch distractions thrown their way mid-season when they were expelled from the UEFA Conference League. Drogheda still arrive at the final day with a fighting chance at Europe.
That alone is a minor miracle. A win on Friday and a little luck elsewhere could deliver a truly successful finish. Regardless of what happens, Doherty’s stock will be sky high.
At the other end of the table, a different kind of pressure looms.
Galway United, Sligo Rovers, and Waterford all sit on 38 points. Three clubs. One dreaded ninth-place slot. One play-off against First Division opposition.
Sligo go to Tallaght hoping Rovers players will be still nursing a hangover. John Russell has worked wonders once again, keeping Sligo competitive despite budget constraints and high player turnover.
The fact they’re not bottom is, in itself, a testament to the club’s structure and resilience and the work Russell has produced yet again.
But the real spotlight falls on the RSC, where Waterford host Galway in what is essentially a play-off for the play-off.
Waterford’s home form – worst in the division – gives little reason for optimism. Galway arrive with spirit, a point to prove and the lingering emotional weight of a season touched by tragedy following the passing of Ollie Horgan.
Their performance in Tallaght midweek, nearly snatching a result from the champions, showed they have the fight for this. They’ll need every ounce of it.
So much remains undecided. Shelbourne could finish second. Drogheda could qualify for Europe. St Pat's could miss out entirely. Waterford could tumble into a relegation battle that threatens all their recent progress.
It’s what makes the final day in this league so compelling. There are no meaningless games. Every game matters. Every substitution, every lapse in concentration could change a club’s entire trajectory.
The title race is over, but the League of Ireland – true to form – is saving its best drama for last.
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