Shelbourne's need to snap out of their current SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division slump has become that bit more urgent but Dundalk will be tough taskmasters at Oriel Park tonight.
Joey O'Brien's team looked on course to end a three-game losing run last week at home to what had been an out-of-sorts Drogheda United.
But despite leading 2-0 at half-time, the Reds succumbed to a second-half collapse to lose 4-3 and a fourth defeat on the trot has left the Dubliners eighth.
In stark contrast to pre-season expectations of a potential title push, Shels are only eight points off the bottom - the same gap in the other direction to third-placed Dundalk.
"These patches happen in football," O'Brien told Shels' club website of his side's struggles.
"Confidence and momentum in football are big and when they are low, the only way out of it is to win a game, that's the aim now."
Shelbourne, who have right-back Milan Mbeng back in training and defender Odhrán Casey on the road to recovery, have conceded the second most goals this season (21) with setpieces a particular vulnerability.
Dundalk have not been completely watertight themselves at the back but have plundered plenty of goals at the other end - with only St Pat's surpassing their 22 for the season so far.
However, Sligo Rovers did hold Ciarán Kilduff's side scoreless last week and the Lilywhites will be keen to prevent that happening again against a vulnerable Shels, who they beat 3-2 at Tolka Park on 3 April.
"We have to try to get back to our positive ways against a really good Shelbourne team, who are more than capable of producing a big performance on any given night," Kilduff said.
"We have been really strong at home and, since I came to the club, we have never lost a league game at Oriel Park. That is something the players take pride in, something I take pride in, something the staff take pride in, and I think it is something our supporters take pride in as well."
Dundalk are still assess the availability of striker Danny Mullen and full back JR Wilson but aside from long-term injury absentees Conor Kearns and Norman Garbett, the Louth side have a largely full squad to pick from.
St Patrick's Athletic will hope to stay at the top of the standings by the time the Bank Holiday weekend is over, starting with tonight's tough trip to Galway United.
Stephen Kenny's side returned to the summit last Friday after bouncing back from the earliest of early goal concessions to beat Bohemians 3-1 in Inchicore.
Coupled with another win over Drogheda United by the same scoreline seven days earlier, Pat's have regained a degree of momentum after the back-to-back defeats to Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers that had briefly knocked them off their stride.
That's important as they go to a proverbial 'tough place to go' at Eamonn Deacy Park before another game on the road at a suddenly in-form Sligo Rovers on Monday.
Kenny is under no illusion about how tough the task will be against his old rival John Caulfield.
"I saw the last home game against Derry (and) they were convincing winners," the former Republic of Ireland manager told Pat's club media.
"They were very effective, played very well, have a lot of good players and we know going to Galway we'll have to absolutely fight for each other and play really well to get a result."
The Saints will be without striker Aidan Keena however after he picked up an injury in the first half against Bohs, while Romal Palmer remains sidelined with a calf problem.
Galway have made a rock solid start to the season. But they will rue the fact that they couldn't take all three points against Waterford last time out, conceding a late equaliser in the seventh minute of stoppage time.
Particularly as Sligo's form has bunched up the pack in the lower mid-section of the table. However, home comforts are always welcome and Eamonn Deacy Park has yielded three wins and just one defeat - the latter on the opening day versus Drogheda - from their five games there in 2026.
"It's our first home game in three weeks, so it's big," Caulfield told galwayunitedfc.ie, "It's important we have a big home support there, to try and help us get over the line."
Shamrock Rovers will feel confident of capitalising if Pat's slip up as the the Hoops welcome rock bottom Waterford to Tallaght.
There will be extra motivation for Stephen Bradley and his side after their 1-0 defeat to Derry City at Celtic Park.
"We come to another Friday/Monday match week, beginning with Waterford at home. It's nice to have a home game to follow up an away defeat," Bradley told shamrockrovers.ie.
"We’re looking forward to playing back at home. Both this week’s games are at home and we need to make sure we’re ready for Waterford (tonight). We’ve seen so many times, every game in this league is difficult and tough."
Midfielder Matt Healy will be in contention to return after a rib injury kept him out of their last two games, while Danny Mandroiu is making progress in his recovery from the serious knee injury, although his comeback, while closing in, is not imminent.
With Waterford increasingly cut adrift, a Bank Holiday weekend fixture list featuring Rovers and then Dundalk on Monday does not stir optimism.
But manager Jon Daly has issued a rallying cry for the trip to Tallaght, telling the Blues' club website: "We have to be brave in Tallaght on Friday. We have to try to move the ball and keep it. It's important we give ourselves the best chance. We’ve had moments, especially away from home this season where we feel we should’ve taken more away from games on the road – ahead against Bohs in Dalymount and 2-0 up away to Derry – so it’s important we go into the game on Friday with confidence and be aggressive."
He will not have Hoops loanee Cian Barrett available to him as the 21-year-old is not eligible to face his parent club.
Meanwhile, Derry City have closed within three points of fourth-placed Bohemians ahead of their visit to Dalymount Park after back-to-back victories, including in their Celtic Park debut last Friday.
After a decidedly indifferent start to the season, beating Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne before that has been a welcome fillip for Tiernan Lynch's side and they will hope to continue that resurgence against a Bohs side, who in contrast began the season in style but have since gone on a winless streak.
Alan Reynolds' side have now lost three in a row, having drawn the four previous games. But although they had 60% possession at Richmond Park last Friday, it's the defensive aspect of the defeat to Pat's that would be of particular concern.
However, Candystripes boss Lynch feels Bohs are more dangerous than their results have suggested.
"I've watched a lot of Bohemians and they're not getting the results. But they are getting performances," said the ex-Larne manager.
"They went to Tallaght and dominated, they played Pat's and dominated. So they're not looking like a team that's struggling too much in confidence."
For his part, Reynolds feels performances have been more up and down from his Bohs side.
"I think most supporters and neutrals would agree with me that our performance a fortnight ago against Shamrock Rovers deserved a result. If not a win, at the very least a draw. But our performances weren't close to what we are capable of against Sligo Rovers the week before that or against St Pat’s last Friday," said Reynolds, who will have to plan without Jordan Flores who is out with an ankle issue.
"I have great belief in this squad. They know that the only way to do that is through hard work and resolve. We need to be ruthless in everything we do. But just like we didn't get carried away when we were getting plaudits in the first series of games, we have to take the criticism we have received over the last couple of weeks on the chin as well."
James McClean will not be available for at least the next few weeks although the veteran Boys in Green centurion has allayed concerns that his hip injury is career-threatening.
Sligo Rovers are suddenly one of the more in-form teams having picked up 10 points from a possible 12 and keeping clean sheets in three of their last four.
Meanwhile, their hosts tonight Drogheda United, come into tonight off the back of ending a nine-game run without a win after their comeback thriller at Tolka Park last week.
It sets up an intriguing match-up at Sullivan and Lambe Park but Sligo will go there without a host of players.
Right-back Jeannot Esua and midfielder Jad Hakiki have picked up knocks and are set to join Ryan O'Kane, Conor Renolds, Seb Quirk and Ciaron Harkin among the absentees.
"The run has started..."@AlanCaw reacts to the Sligo Rovers surge
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 27, 2026
📺/🎧Full #RTESoccerPodcast: https://t.co/n16QwRJaVl pic.twitter.com/KcNjtOjbal
However, John Russell remains confident that his squad can step up and keep the foot on the gas.
"We may be down a few bodies again which is really frustrating," he told the Bit o' Red's website.
"A week or two ago, it looked like lads were coming back in but unfortunately, we are down a few more going to Drogheda. However, that's football and we're in really good form going up there and we have proven before that we can come away with good results by using our full squad."
For Drogheda, they have a clutch of injuries too in the shape of Scott Brady, Owen Lambe, Ethan O'Brien, Leo Burney and Bridel Bosakani. But Kevin Doherty can welcome back American wing-back Jason Bucknor.
Listen to the RTÉ Soccer podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
