Their respective recent records against Friday evening's opponents suggests that things will be unchanged between the top two in the table on Saturday morning with Cork targeting a sixth straight win over Limerick while Dundalk look to make it nine unbeaten against Derry City in all competitions.
Having seen his men narrow Dundalk's lead to four points last week, John Caulfield will be intent on getting this evening's visitors back to losing ways but, he says, nobody will be taking anything for granted around Turner's Cross.
“People were saying that Limerick were relegated,” he says, “but, all of a sudden, they have two wins in a row. They have turned their season around and they have given themselves a real opportunity to get off the bottom of the table. We are in good form, but they are coming down here in good form too.”
City will again be without John Kavanagh and Darren Dennehy, although the pair are back training while Gavan Holohan also misses out but Kevin O’Connor is in with a shout of featuring after bouncing back from an injury picked up in the win over Sligo. Limerick are without Shaun Kelly and Patrick Kanyuka (both suspended) which won’t help their attempt to end Mark O’Sullivan’s remarkable recent run of goal-scoring form.
The champions have a full squad as they head to Derry, who have Cillian Morrison suspended.
St Patrick's are without Ian Bermingham and Christy Fagan for the visit of Bray while Kenny Browne faces a late fitness test but Shane McEleney, Greg Bolger and Sean Hoare are all available to Liam Buckley.
Across the City at Dalymount, both Bohemians and Galway will be trying to steady things and put a halt to some pretty leaky defending of late. United arrive having lost their last three.
Manager Keith Long has Lorcan Fitzgerald and Eoin Wearan available again but Tommy Dunne has a string of problems. Ryan Connolly and Andy O’Connell are amongst those ruled out while Conor Barry, Marc Ludden and Conor Melody will have fitness tests ahead of the kick-off.
Shamrock Rovers have Kieran Waters and Patrick Cregg suspended as they head to Longford while in the night's other game, Micky Adams has serious doubts about the match fitness of Anthony Elding, John Russell and Danny Ledwith as he takes his Sligo side to Drogheda.
FRIDAY’S FIXTURES – 7.45 unless stated
PREMIER DIVISION
Bohemians v Galway United – Home: 8/11, Draw: 5/2, Away: 4/1.
Cork City v Limerick –Home: 1/4, Draw: 9/2, Away: 10/1.
Derry City v Dundalk – Home: 9/2, Draw: 11/4, Away: 8/13.
Drogheda United v Sligo Rovers – Home: 17/10, Draw: 9/4, Away: 6/4.
St Patrick’s Ath v Bray Wanderers – Home: 1/5, Draw: 5/1, Away: 14/1.
Longford Town v Shamrock Rovers (8.0) –Home: 5/1, Draw: 11/4, Away: 4/7.
FIRST DIVISION
Athlone Town v Waterford United – Home: 8/13, Draw: 14/5, Away: 7/2.
UCD v Cobh Ramblers – Home: 1/4, Draw: 4/1, Away: 9/1.
Finn Harps v Shelbourne (8.0) – Home: 13/10, Draw: 23/10, Away: 7/4.
Wexford Youths v Cabinteely (8.0) - Home: 1/5, Draw: 5/1, Away: 9/1.
