Promotion/relegation play-off: First leg - Athlone Town v UCD (St Mel's Park, 7.30) - "It was hugely disappointing to miss out on automatic promotion," says Athlone Town manager Liam Buckley, "considering we were 11 points clear at one stage and never out of the top two until the final game."

A win over Waterford United last Saturday would have put Athlone up with champions Dundalk, but a 0-0 draw meant Bobby Browne's Monaghan United snatched second place at the death.

UCD are concerned about the availability of their captain Tony McDonnell who has a dead leg.

"Everybody thinks we have done the hard part by avoiding the automatic drop," says UCD manager Martin Moran. "We have not. This game is not as pressurised as the last two when we had to win both to get ourselves into this position.

"Having said that, this now becomes our most important game of the season. But I'm confident the tie will be very much alive for the second leg on Friday."

Current form: Athlone: WLWLD; UCD: LDDWW. Leading scorers: Athlone: Myler - 27; UCD: McDonnell - 6. Referee: J O'Neill (Waterford).