Pivotal tie for Shelbourne

National League previewShelbourne's title retention aspirations meet their most telling challenge of the season with the visit of in-form Cork City to Tolka Park tonight for an intriguing top-of-the-table clash.

While the champions have displayed a curious alter-ego by taking just seven points from five league games since exiting the UEFA Cup to French side Lille, Cork have overcome rumoured dressing-room unrest to win their last seven games to get their season back on track after it looked set to fade away to nothing.

"The pressure is on Shelbourne, they are the champions," said Cork winger Billy Woods, whose return to the side has coincided with their winning run.

"There is no pressure on us, really. We've just come of late with a very good run. Shelbourne are still four points ahead of us.

"Nobody is expecting us to win the league, which is probably a good thing. Shels have been way out ahead of everyone all season and they are the ones who have it to lose."

Hard work and the strike partnership of Kevin Doyle and John O'Flynn are the chief reasons for Cork's remarkable revival.

"Doyler and Flynnie have given us pace up front that a Cork side hasn't seen in a long time," said Woods.

"Kevin, in particular, is electric in front of goal at the moment. Both of them have scored most of the goals (10, in fact) during the seven-game winning run."

It's fair to note that Cork have done their stuff at the other end of the pitch as well with five clean sheets and just two goals conceded.

The luxury of being able to keep a settled side has helped manager Pat Dolan, who is set to name the same team for the fifth game in succession.

Shelbourne have both Stuart Byrne and Ollie Cahill back from suspension to give manager Pat Fenlon a full squad - with the exception of the long-term injured Joseph Ndo.

"I don't mind people seeing us as the ones under pressure," laughed Fenlon. "I'm here eight years so I'm well used to it.

"I don't see it as pressure. It's a game; it's football and it's a great opportunity for us to put a big gap between us. Cork have to win the game and that's not necessarily the case for us."

With the top two meeting, fourth-placed Drogheda United host Bohemians, a point ahead of them in third, with ground to be made up.

"We have Bohs and we still have to meet Cork twice, so our season is very much alive," said Drogheda defender Aidan Lynch.

"It's still in our own hands, to get that second place and the UEFA Cup. There is a determination there to get something from our season after it has promised so much. We've put far too much into it to let it dwindle away to nothing.

"We've had our bad spell and the confidence is back. If we can finish the season with a bit of a run we know we can get something from it."

Bohemians have Thomas Heary back following a hamstring strain and wait on several other players who have been laid low with a virus this week.

Drogheda expect to be unchanged from the side that drew 1-1 at St Patrick's Athletic on Monday night.

With the return of Trevor Molloy from suspension and Dave Mooney from injury, Shamrock Rovers are over a crisis of options in attack as they strive to end their unenviable 11-match run without a win at Waterford United.

Manager Noel Synnott now has a problem in goal, however, as both first-team goalkeepers, Russell Payne (thigh) and Noel Mooney (calf), are struggling leaving under-21 keeper Barry Murphy in line for his league debut.

"There is no point looking back on what happened in the cup final," said Waterford playermanager Alan Reynolds, who is out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury.

"We have to look forward. At this stage we still feel we have third place to play for," added Reynolds who is hopeful that his captain John Frost will be fit following a knee strain.

St Patrick's Athletic will secure their Premier Division status if they earn their first win in eight games at home to cup winners Longford Town.

Mark Quinless, ineligible for the Drogheda match, comes back into contention, though Des Byrne is still out with a hamstring problem.

Suspension rules Longford midfielder Dean Fitzgerald out of the game, though captain Barry Ferguson returns from the ban that kept him out of the cup final.How they stand

TONIGHT'S FIXTURES (7.45 unless stated)

NATIONAL LEAGUE - Premier Division: Drogheda Utd v Bohemians; Shelbourne v Cork City; St Patrick's Athletic v Longford Town; Waterford Utd v Shamrock Rovers (7.30). First Division: Athlone Town v Dundalk Bray Wanderers v Galway Utd.

IRISH LEAGUE - Premier Division Dungannon Swifts v Loughgall Newry v Cliftonville (8.00)

ENGLISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE: Championship Crewe v Sheff Utd.

P W D L F A Pts

Shelbourne 31 17 9 5 51 31 60

Cork 31 16 8 7 44 27 56

Bohemians 32 12 14 6 42 29 50

Drogheda Utd 31 14 7 10 38 29 49

Waterford 30 12 7 11 39 43 43

Derry City 31 10 9 12 19 27 39

Longford Town 29 8 11 10 21 27 35

St Patricks 32 9 8 15 34 46 35

Shamrock 32 8 8 16 36 42 32

Dublin City 31 5 7 19 33 56 22