Eircom Premier Division: Cork City head into this evening's game against UCD at what was, perhaps, the happiest of last season's hunting grounds without influential midfielder George O'Callaghan and impressive central defender Alan Bennett.
Roy O'Donovan returns from suspension for the champions, though, while John O'Flynn will return if he passes a late fitness test on the groin strain that kept him out of Monday's win in Drogheda.
The southerners won 5-1 at Belfield Park last season and while UCD manager Pete Mahon is not anticipating anything quite so traumatic tonight he concedes it is unlikely to be an entirely stress-free night for the students.
"We know that we have to be at our best," he says. "We weren't last year and we paid the price. Even then, though, it will be hard.
"They're very hard to break down at the back and we're not too prolific in the scoring department but we'll give it our all and hopefully get something out of it."
The hosts are still without Tony McDonnell while Brian Shortall joins Ciarán Quinn on the sidelines after picking up an injury during last week's win in Waterford. Alan McNally will replace him this evening while Gary Dicker is also available and looks certain to start.
At United Park, Drogheda manager Paul Doolin must again cope without injured pair Keith Fahey or Paul Bernard against Bray while Damien Lynch is suspended. Simon Webb returns having served a ban and Stephen Bradley is available to replace Lynch in midfield.
Philip Keogh is line to make his 200th league appearance for Bray this evening and Wes Charles returns from suspension but the team's injury problems continue with Graham O'Hanlon and Jody Lynch both still struggling to overcome ankle injuries.
Bohemians also have some problems as they prepare for a game against Waterford in which they will be aiming to secure their first points of the season.
Gareth Farrelly's side played well in Cork last week but have yet to even score in their three games and the Dubliners look likely to be without Des Byrne (hanstring), Fergal Harkin (groin), Jason McGuinness, Vinnie Arkins (flu) and Mark O'Brien (hip) tonight.
"I plan to give them up to early Friday afternoon to see how they shape up," said Farrelly yesterday afternoon, "but realistically we anticipate calling in some of our younger lads to fill the gaps."
Waterford will be without the suspended Chris Deans but Mike Kerley has a couple of options when it comes to picking a replacement.
More important, he says, will be ensuring the team produces a more lively performance than last week when several players were just getting over the effects of the vomiting bug.
The FAI have confirmed the Irish squad's training camp in late May will take place in the Algarve. Ireland manager Steve Staunton will bring a squad of 30 players to the resort of Praia da Luz for four days, returning to Dublin on the 23rd - 24 hours before the Republic take on Chile at Lansdowne Road.
