National League/Premier Division: With five points separating them from even the three clubs leading the chasing pack, Bohemians make the short trip to Tolka Park this evening under more pressure than they would have liked at this stage to start cutting into the 10-point advantage Shelbourne have gained on them just 12 weeks into the season.
Having had to cope with a succession of injuries over the past couple of months Stephen Kenny, who this week agreed a new two-year deal with the Dalymount outfit, finally has a virtually full panel to choose from, with only Stephen Ward (hamstring) likely to miss this evening's contest.
Shelbourne will be without Tony McCarthy (stomach) and Alan Cawley (calf), while Kevin Doherty is a serious doubt (also calf). But Pat Fenlon is happy Alan McDermott's form over the past few weeks means he will be well covered in central defence.
"We have Dave Rodgers, Jamie Harris and Alan so we're all right really," he says. "Alan's done exceptionally well in the last few weeks and played well over in Scotland with Pat Devlin's side, too, which is great for us. He gives us another option and looks like he has the potential to develop into an important player for us is the future."
Fenlon, who lost his assistant John McDonnell to St Patrick's Athletic on Wednesday, will decide on a replacement over the weekend. Mick Neville will help out during the build-up to tonight's game.
"I did think of asking Mick to take the job on full-time," admits Fenlon, "but he's done a terrific job with the underage set-up where we've made great progress in a few short years. He's happy in that role so there's no point in meddling. I have a few names floating around in my head and I'll try to sit down and sort things out when we have this game out of the way."
The Shelbourne boss admits his counterpart at Bohemians is probably under a little bit more pressure. "They'll be coming here anxious that the lead doesn't go to 13 points but then we're looking to put as much daylight as possible between us while we can so I suppose it works both ways. They're always big games really."
Waterford United, meanwhile, will be without top scorer Willie Bruton for the visit of Cork City this evening.
Bruton has a shoulder problem and is likely to be joined on the sidelines by player-manager Alan Reynolds and David Breen. The visitors, though, also have problems with Pat Dolan missing Greg O'Halloran and Kevin Doyle, while Neale Fenn and Michael Nwanko face late fitness tests.
McDonnell takes charge at Richmond Park for the first time in the night's other Premier Division game and will be without Gary McPhee, Joseph Ndo and Paul Donnelly.
Dublin City have problems of their own with Tony O'Connor, Alan Keely and Thomas McGauley missing, but the visitors have won one and drawn one with the Inchicore side this season between league and league cup and know that victory by two goals or more will lift them off the foot of the table.
