It’s Series 17 of the League of Ireland premier division this week-end , Sportspeak’s League of Ireland Editor Michael Duffy previews this weeks action;
The top four sides have home advantage against teams in the bottom four as the Premier Division title race heats up to boiling point.
League leaders Bohemians are at home to Sligo Rovers while second placed Derry City host 9th place Bray Wanderers. Third place Cork City have now gone three league games without a win but should be too strong for an inconsistent Dundalk side who ended a three game losing streak with a 3-0 home win over Bray Wanderers in the last series of games. A High Court case against Cork City over unpaid tax liabilities was adjourned earlier this week for four weeks to allow the club pay outstanding tax liabilities.
Shamrock Rovers are sitting comfortably in fourth place and will hope to maintain their push for a European spot with victory over a Galway United side that have slipped down the table recently after their good start to the season. Six of the ten sides are involved in the relegation battle from the new ten team premier division. The bottom team are automatically relegated while 8th & 9th play off with the losers facing the winners of the First division play off between the sides finishing second and third in the First division table.

The First division promotion race is a four way battle between UCD, Shelbourne, Waterford United and pre season favourites Sporting Fingal. UCD host Finn Harps while Shelbourne face a tricky tie away to Limerick FC. Shelbourne were the only side on the receiving end of an FAI cup shock last week end when they were defeated by non league Crumlin United after a replay.
Sporting Fingal host bottom of the table Kildare County whom they put eight past in their previous meeting at Station Road earlier this season. Kildare have lost their last 13 league games and have strengthen their squad in the last few weeks but despite their recent improvement in performance are unlikely to match big spenders Fingal.

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