Don't be fooled by the friendly fire, tonight’s top-of-the-table clash is huge for both Shamrock Rovers and St Pat’s.
Stephen Bradley batted off Stephen O’Donnell’s swipe that it’s ‘the league or failure’ for the Hoops this season.
O’Donnell isn’t wrong because If I’m a Rovers player and we don’t win the league, then it is a failure.
It happened to me in 2005 with Shels. We should have walked it that season but it ended up being the biggest disappointment of my career.
We spoke about it constantly in the dressing room and we told new signings in no uncertain terms what was expected that year.
That’s how top players should operate.
If you look around your dressing room and know that you’ve the best squad in the league, then it’s black and white.
If you don’t then win the league, there’s something wrong.
Level on points, there’s a significant psychological boost if either side pulls clear with a win in Tallaght tonight.
A Saints victory would set in stone their goal for the season because they’re 100% in the title race if they get the three points.
Nobody will bat an eyelid if Rovers win because it’s almost expected but they’ll dent St Pat’s confidence by doing so.
Look at Rovers over the last 20 years. A club that achieved so much was sold from under them and they traipsed around homeless for years.
Now it has come full circle.
The football team has done a fine job of putting the club on the map, while those behind the scenes have redeveloped and modernised the infrastructure.
They have their own training ground and a settled home on the back of their partnership with South Dublin County Council.
It's a model that everyone else wants a slice of, when you think of Bohemians and Shelbourne and their stadium plans.
But Rovers have a serious head start and their finances are in a good place. So the team needs to push on.
It’s their time, it’s their turn and it’s their responsibility to push everyone else on. They're the envy of everyone else in the league.
They’re the flag bearers for Irish football because they have the whole package. But that also means they have no more excuses.
Considering the players they have, people have been a little underwhelmed by some performances this year.
But I still think they’re in a position to kick on and ask serious questions of St Pat’s and Sligo Rovers.
All three clubs should be looking to win this league, although Sligo have hit a wall with three horrendous results in three different competitions in as many weeks.
O’Donnell is playing down St Pat’s title chances in public and he’s right to. But they have to be talking about it behind closed doors.
You can’t just say ‘sure we’ll see how it goes’.
Those St Pat’s players have to go to the well every single day of the week. It’s mentally draining but if they’re serious about challenging, nothing else will do.
It’s all to play for tonight.
Knight to forget as boss goes over the top
Wayne Rooney needs to get over himself and realise he’s not a player anymore.
His tackle on Jason Knight means the Ireland midfielder is facing three months out with an ankle injury.
And he’ll miss the World Cup qualifiers against Portugal, Azerbaijan and Serbia as a result.
Derby boss Rooney brushed it off this week and said "that’s football"....but what a load of crap.
He’s the bloody manager! He’s not a player and he should remember that.
When I was starting out, Mick Lawlor - the former Ireland kitman - joined in every training game at Home Farm and I never got it.
Pat Fenlon jumped in occasionally at Shels but didn’t put himself about whereas Paul Doolin stayed out of it completely at Drogheda.
Rooney should take a leaf out of his book.
What have you done, Al?
Alan Cawley has ruined the FAI Cup.
My old team-mate and podcast sidekick pulled Bohemians v Shamrock Rovers out of the hat.
That should be an FAI Cup final, not a second round meeting!
I couldn't believe it.
I’m all for the ‘romance of the cup’ but we’ll have to throw a few hot and cold balls into the draw drum because that’s not on.
Pat's the way to do it, Pat's
Kyrian Nwoko’s switch to St Pat’s isn’t just good fortune for the Saints, it’s a product of good networking.
The Malta international was joining Linfield until Brexit issues scuppered his work permit.
Pat Fenlon - as Linfield’s General Manager - will have played a key role in identifying Nwoko.
But ‘Nutsy’ has an excellent relationship with Stephen O’Donnell and Alan Mathews at St Pat’s, so I’m not surprised he ended up there.
There haven’t been too many signings around the league this summer. Finances are tight and club’s can’t afford any duds.
But this is an interesting one, not least because Nwoko - a striker who likes to hold up the ball - is a current international.
Ronan Coughlan plays in the same way and while he has impressed this year, he’s only returning from injury.
St Pat’s have molded their play around that type of front man and it’s vital to have someone to fill the gap at all times.
Time difference is an Olympic turn off
I don’t know what they’re eating in Skibbereen but I'd like some of it.
Rowers Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy made history by claiming gold in the early hours of yesterday.
And I love how humble they are. Every interview is ‘ah sure look’, and ‘ah sure’ this and that. They don’t know how good they are.
But the time difference with Tokyo is a killer. I’d usually devour the Olympics coverage but sadly it’s not even on my radar.
