They may have had their troubles over the past month or so, but as Shelbourne go into tomorrow's final round of games in the Eircom-sponsored National League Premier Division, they can, at least, be thankful for one thing - it's not Dundalk they have to play for the title.
The Louth club has made a habit of scuppering the celebrations of would-be champions down the years and both of tomorrow's contenders have blown their title hopes at Oriel Park on the last day of the campaign during the past decade. So, by comparison, the visit of Cork City might just look manageable enough to Dermot Keely and his players as they complete their preparations.
A week ago the club's run-in looked to have hit plenty of trouble, but a fine fightback in Derry where the Dublin club trailed 3-0 but earned a draw, as well as Wednesday's memorable defeat of Rovers, provided evidence that the Shelbourne ship has steadied. Now the question is whether tomorrow's visitors can again rock the boat.
Liam Murphy's record at Cork City since taking over from Derek Mountfield certainly suggests that the Tolka Park crowd will have a nervous afternoon. In nine league games, City have not been beaten and only twice have they dropped points. In recent weeks even the goals that have been so hard to come by for the southerners this year have started to flow.
The new manager is pleased by the improvement, but not greatly surprised. "Even a couple of months ago I thought we had the potential to do much better and since we drew that first game up at Finn Harps, I'd have to say that we've deserved every point that we got," he says.
"Now it's just nice to be going into the last day with something to play for, to be involved in a match that means so much to everybody and to be playing in front of the cameras. It's all been a bonus for the players, just as the chance to play in Europe next year, whatever the competition, would be a bonus for everybody at the club."
Keely describes the game as "a cup final", which might well boost the confidence of a group of players that have shown themselves to be second to none in that department in recent years.
"The bottom line," says Keely, "is that nothing else now should make a blind bit of difference to us if we play the way we are capable of playing, because, if we do, then we should win this title. If not, then we might have problems, but we will have only ourselves to blame."
Not everybody at the club might entirely agree with that if the hosts do fail to win and Bohemians manage to overrun Kilkenny, a side that has increasingly come to resemble the footballing equivalent of one of those things Blue Peter used to teach British schoolkids to make as presents for Mothers' Day.
Tomorrow Billy Walsh will not only be the man wielding the sticky-backed plastic, but he will also have to play in the Kilkenny goal. He laughs, announcing that the team has a 100 per cent record this season when he has started there - they won 4-1 that day - but really it doesn't seem like any way for one half of a two-horse title race to be resolved.
Who will join Kilkenny in the First Division next season is the other great issue to be resolved tomorrow, with UCD holding a narrow advantage over Finn Harps. Ironically, last season UCD's opponents tomorrow, Galway United, needed a favour from Harps, who were playing Waterford, on the last day in order to be sure of their Premier Division survival. The Donegal men failed to oblige and it fell to Billy Clery to score a precious goal in injury-time for Don O'Riordan's side.
"I can sympathise with Martin (Moran)," says O'Riordan now, "because I know exactly how he feels. When word came through last year that Waterford had scored against Harps, I felt as though somebody had shot me and I'm sure it will be a difficult day for Martin on Sunday."
Moran, though, said some weeks ago that he would settle for having to go to Terryland on the last day of the season and win. Even now the prospect doesn't seem to daunt him. "We peaked to beat Rovers and now we just have to do it again."
