JOE looks at the run-ins for the League of Ireland teams chasing the title and battling for survival

So how do things look as we enter the business end of the season?

The League of Ireland enters its final few weeks with the burning issues still to be settled at the top and bottom of the table. Can Dundalk hold on and end their 19-year wait for a title or can Cork City capitalise on any potential slip up? Will Athlone Town claw their way off the foot of the table or is time against them?

Here’s how we see the final few weeks going…

The Title Chase

Dundalk

Current Position: First
Run In: Athlone Town (A), Shamrock Rovers (H), Bray Wanderers (A), Cork City (H)
What they need: To keep winning, that’s all.
What we think they’ll get: 10 points
Verdict: Champions

The Lilywhites look odds-on favourites to claim a famous league and cup double although Stephen Kenny’s men do have some tricky matches to navigate. They’re level on points with Cork right now but crucially they have a game in hand.

A trip to Lissywollen on Friday isn’t the easiest of games because Keith Long’s men are scraping for every single point and Athlone have only lost one of their last seven league matches while Dundalk needed a dramatic 94th minute penalty to win on their last visit here. A draw might be the outcome in this one.

You would have to wonder if the Shamrock Rovers players might already be on their holidays when they make the trip to Oriel Park a few days later. The two teams must be absolutely sick of the sight of each other as their upcoming match will be the eighth meeting of the sides this season, and the record for the Lillywhites reads W:4, D:2, L:1.

The only fly in the Dundalk ointment is that Pat Fenlon’s men might be looking to avenge their 3-2 EA Sports Cup final defeat but we fancy a home win.

A visit to the Carlisle Grounds is next and by then the Seagulls should already be guaranteed their league status which would be music to the ears of Dundalk fans. The league could already be wrapped up before a final day meeting with Cork – neutrals will be hoping that it isn’t – but Dundalk also have a +21 goal difference on the Rebels and have beaten them twice.

Cork City

Current Position: Second
Run In: UCD (A), Bohemians (H), Dundalk (A)
What they need: To win everything and hope Dundalk drop five points.
What we think they’ll get: 4 points
Verdict: Runners-up

This season has been a fantastic one for the Rebels as the return of John Caulfield has seen a huge upswing in the clubs fortunes on the pitch. Cork have assembled a squad full of local talent that know exactly what’s required to play for the club but despite their best efforts, we feel that they might fall just a little bit short this season.

Very few people genuinely tipped Cork to be challenging for the title at the business end of the season and on Friday the Rebels face a UCD team that they have had trouble beating convincingly this season.

Billy Dennehy’s goal was all that separated the sides at Belfield while Aaron Callaghan’s men were actually leading at Turners Cross until Hugh Douglas was sent-off. Cork can’t afford to slip up on Friday and they should have enough quality to pick up a vital win.

The next fixture is probably one of the the worst games possible for Cork City fans because Bohemians have had the Indian sign over the Leeside club all season.

The Gypsies haven’t lost to the Rebels this season and although they won’t have a lot riding on the game, Owen Heary’s men are usually dogged, professional and very dangerous on the break. We imagine that the atmosphere for the final game at Turners Cross will be electric but we wouldn’t be surprised if Bohs spoiled the party.

We really hope that the fate of the league title does comes down to a winner takes all decider at Oriel Park. Every neutral will want to see that but we don’t see it happening; here’s hoping we’re wrong.

Clip via – Neil Casey

St Patrick’s Athletic

Current Position: Third
Run In: Drogheda United (A), Athlone Town (H), Sligo Rovers (A)
What they need: A spectacular collapse from Cork and Dundalk… better known as a miracle.
What we think they’ll get: 6 Points
Verdict: Third

The champions will be the first to admit that the defence of their title hasn’t been up to the standard required but a first FAI Cup win since 1961 will be very welcome in Inchicore.

Their outside title hopes realistically ended after a 1-1 draw with Shamrock Rovers but the Saints are in excellent form right now; they’re unbeaten in their last 10 matches, winning eight of them.

We expect Liam Buckley’s men to win in Drogheda, beat the relegation-threatened Athlone and with the cup final awaiting, lose in The Showgrounds.

As for their cup chances, well that’s for another day and you never know with Pat’s in the cup.

The battle to beat the drop

Athlone Town

Current Position: 12th

Run In: Dundalk (H), St Patrick’s Athletic (A), Bray Wanderers (H)
What they need: Three wins would be amazing; it probably wont happen though
What we think they’ll get: 4 points
Verdict: League survival by the skin of their teeth and then a relegation/promotion play-off

Keith Long deserves immense credit for the job he has done with Athlone Town because the Midlands club looked absolutely dead and buried when he replaced Mick Cooke.

Unlike UCD, Athlone are picking up points but the frustrating thing for their fans is that they’re usually draws, six of them from the last seven matches.

It’s hard to bet against Athlone taking something from Dundalk at home on Friday because both teams are in desperate need of points for different reasons.

Town have showed unbelievable character to hang in with a chance of survival but there is no denying that Pat’s have absolutely beaten them out the gate this year in the league; 6-0 was the cumulative result in the fixture and we don’t see this trend changing in Inchicore.

Maybe Liam Buckley’s men will be on Cup Final mode by the time Athlone arrive but it’s hard to go against the champions in their final home fixture.

It might all come down to a must-win fixture against Bray Wanderers on the final day. If Town come into that game with even the smallest chance of survival then we expect them to grab it. It’s worth noting that Keith Long’s men also have a far superior goal difference to their nearest relegation rivals UCD.

UCD

Current Position: 11th
Run In: Cork City (H), Derry City (A), Drogheda United (H)
What they need: Match or better Athlone’s results
What we think they’ll get: 3 points
Verdict: Relegation

If it hadn’t been for Athlone Town’s awful early season form then the Students would most certainly be relegated.

UCD’s recent record of woe reads like this; they have shipped 28 goals in their last 10 matches, their last point was on August 18th and their last win was against Sligo in July.

The Students haven’t been relegated in five years but we think that this might be the year when the slip through the trapdoor.

Cork should have the bit between their teeth this Friday at Belfield while their game against Derry could go either way, League of Ireland fans will know that those games are usually bonkers, high-scoring affairs.

By the time their last match of the season comes around we’d worry that the Students’ survival chances will no longer be in their hands.