No team can win the League of Ireland on the penultimate Friday night of a fascinating Premier Division season.
Shelbourne will inch closer to the title, their first since 2006, by overcoming Drogheda United at Tolka Park (live on RTÉ 2), if Derry City fail to beat St Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park.
If Derry stumble, Shelbourne could be crowned champions on Sunday, providing Shamrock Rovers do not bank three points against the already relegated Dundalk at Oriel Park.
Damien Duff’s charges finally ended a winless run, dating back to August 30th, last Friday, with a 3-1 defeat of Waterford at Tolka.
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“After the last three games where we only got one point out of nine, we deserved more, it was good to get that win,” said Duff. “I’ll never lose faith in what we’re doing – the staff, the players. We know it’s the right way, and I won’t change, and no one will make me change my mind on that. Some of the results have been poor, but results like last Friday help get the lads back on track.”
If Rovers or Derry win this weekend, the league will be decided next Friday when Derry host Shels at the Brandywell and Rovers face Waterford at Tallaght Stadium.
“Singular focus,” said Stephen Kenny about what is needed to win this league. “Absolute, singular focus.”
The St Pat’s manager should know, having guided Bohemians (2003) and Dundalk (2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018) to titles.
“You’ve got to back yourself and have an absolute determination. If you got an opportunity to win it, you have to grab it. You can’t sit in and hope.”
That is what Shelbourne and Derry appeared to be doing since July, although Kenny paid tribute to his former assistant coaches Duff and Ruaidhrí Higgins, who brings the Candystripes to Richmond Park on Friday night.
![Stephen Kenny: 'If you've got an opportunity to win it [the title], you have to grab it. You can’t sit in and hope.' Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho](https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/URPBQ2R6DE5KAPDKLE4KF7W7LM.jpg?auth=b3a7bc9e55c1a22139d5c23904e8f7da014011068ab3e863afe76d2c9ef81d56&width=800&height=498)
“All the coaches at the top end of the table have done a terrific job and all of them have the best years of their careers in advance of them, for sure.”
Kenny was also talking about Shamrock Rovers’ five-in-a-row chasing manager Stephen Bradley, who must inspire a win over Dundalk three days after the Uefa Conference League tie against Larne in Belfast.
The top of the table has never been so bunched so late in the season. With two games remaining, the late sprint by St Pat’s to capture a first title since 2013 will end should Shelbourne beat Drogheda, even if Kenny’s side extend their winning streak to eight matches and prolong their hopes of European football.
And Drogheda still have plenty of football to play – their relegation playoff on November 16th comes six days after qualifying for Europe if they overcome Derry in the FAI Cup final at the Aviva Stadium.
Whatever happens next, Inchicore will be a hive of activity on Friday night as St Pat’s fans give the players a send off before next week’s final fixture against Sligo Rovers at The Showgrounds.
“It [the title race] is not in our control,” added Kenny. “But it would be an incredible achievement from the players, having come from Dundalk being two points behind us and we were near the bottom. To come from that to qualifying for Europe would be a great turnaround.”
What Kenny is certain about is the Dublin stadiums, besides Tallaght’s 10,500 capacity, are not fit for purpose.
“The grounds are not big enough in terms of attendances. We got 1,500 to Tallaght and then we go to Tolka and Dalymount and can only get 400-500 [tickets]. That’s a thousand people who cannot go [to Dublin derbies] and that’s 20 grand that clubs are losing.
“It’s amazing really that people want to go to games but they cannot get in. It’s a good sign in many ways but rather unfortunate.”
Galway United versus Sligo Rovers at Eamonn Deacy Park might slip under the radar, especially with RTÉ cameras at Tolka Park, but both remain in touching distance of European qualification.
Title permutations
Shelbourne will clinch their first league title since 2006 with victory over Drogheda United tonight at Tolka Park, providing St Patrick’s Athletic defeat or draw with Derry City at Richmond Park and Shamrock Rovers fail to beat Dundalk at Oriel Park on Sunday.
Tonight: Shelbourne v Drogheda United, Tolka Park, 7.45
Friday, November 1st: Derry City v Shelbourne, Brandywell, 7.45
Derry City’s path to a league and cup double is straightforward. Win their last three games of the season, away to St Pat’s tonight, home to Shelbourne next Friday and Drogheda in the FAI Cup final at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday, November 10th. That is presuming Rovers do not pick up six points in their last two games and also surpass Derry’s six-goal advantage.
Derry currently have the best goal difference in the Premier Division of +19, to Rovers’ +13 while Shels and St Pat’s are +11.
Tonight: St Patrick’s Athletic v Derry City, Richmond Park, 7.45
Friday, November 1st: Derry City v Shelbourne, Brandywell, 7.45pm
Shamrock Rovers can surpass the feats of their 1980s four-in-a-row team by accumulating six points away to Dundalk on Sunday and home to Waterford next Friday, so long as Derry and Shels fall short of the 61 points total.
If Derry also win their last two games, it comes down to goal difference. Currently, Derry’s 48 goals for and 29 goals against, is superior to Rovers’ 47-34.
If goals scored cannot separate them, it comes down to head to heads, which favours Rovers as they won two (and drew two) of the four regular season meetings with Derry.
Tonight: St Patrick’s Athletic v Derry City, Richmond Park, 7.45
Friday, November 1st: Derry City v Shelbourne, Brandywell, 7.45
St Patrick’s Athletic can make a spectacular leap from fourth to champions over the next seven days. This requires a nine-game winning streak from Stephen Kenny’s side to finish on 59 points, coupled with Shelbourne at least drawing their last two games (St Pat’s have scored 11 more goals than Damien Duff’s team).
They also need Derry and Rovers to bank a maximum of three points from their last two fixtures.
Tonight: St Patrick’s Athletic v Derry City, Richmond Park, 7.45
Friday, November 1st: Sligo Rovers v St Patrick’s Athletic, The Showgrounds, 7.45
Playoffs to decide the title are almost impossible as if two, three, or all four clubs finish on the same points and cannot be separated by (in descending order) goal difference or the most goals scored, the highest points from regular season head-to-head matches would decide the champions.
