Precious league points go on offer at Tolka Park this Friday evening as Sligo Rovers face Shelbourne in what is the Bit O’Red’s penultimate game away from home this season, kick-off 7.45pm.
With three games to go, Rovers are level on points with Waterford and three ahead of Galway, who have one game in hand.
The Blues host Derry at the RSC while United face Bohemians in Galway at the same time, as all three sides scrap to pick up enough points to avoid the relegation play-off.
Cork City’s relegation was confirmed earlier this week following defeat to Shels.
In team news, Rovers head to Dublin without club captain John Mahon who misses out with a foot injury.
Winger Ryan O’Kane is ineligible due to the terms of his loan from last year’s league champions.
Manager John Russell has an otherwise fit squad to choose from as of Thursday evening.
Rovers are yet to pick up a point against Joey O’Brien’s charges this season. While the Drumcondra outfit are in good form ahead of this one following recent wins over champions elect Shamrock Rovers and struggling Cork.
However, Rovers’ form has been solid recently with just one defeat in our last five.
“This will be a tough one for us”, Russell says ahead of the game.
“Shels have been excellent recently and like ourselves are doing all they can to pick up points to reach their targets and have hit some form.
“Our form against them this season isn’t great but in all three games, we’ve either been level or ahead against them at half time. It’s about focus and concentration and I feel we have improved even further in that regard since we played them last in August.
“We got caught with a late goal in Derry because we switched off. If we do that in Tolka, it won’t end well for us.
“Everyone is fighting for points now and although we always want to entertain, it’s in our DNA, we know how critical it is to scrap and squeeze out results. We have huge belief in ourselves that we will be able to do that.
“It feels a lot like it will all come down to the wire this season and we have to make sure we’re in with a chance of avoiding that playoff spot once the final day comes.”
David Goulden