RTÉ have announced that they will show both Derry City v Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers v Waterford on Friday night with the League of Ireland Premier Division going down to the wire.
Damien Duff’s Shels side travel to Derry knowing a win will guarantee them the title live on RTÉ2 while Shamrock Rovers could also be a win away from a record fifth title in a row against Waterford at Tallaght Stadium live on the RTÉ News Channel if Shels drop points.
Both games will also be live on the RTÉ Player, with both games kicking off at 7.45pm.
A victory for Shelbourne would be their first league title since 2006, while Rovers are looking for a historic fifth title in a row.
“I think we are officially in Europe but I told the lads there, we’re built different to that. There’s no ‘well dones for Europe’, we know what we want,” Duff said after beating Drogheda on Friday.
Title and European permutations
Shelbourne will clinch their first league title with a victory over Derry City at the Brandywell, or if Shamrock Rovers fail to beat Waterford in the final game of the season. They are guaranteed at least the Uefa Conference League qualifying next season.
Shamrock Rovers can win a fifth title in a row by beating Waterford at home on Friday, if Shelbourne fail to beat Derry City. Should Shelbourne draw against Derry and Rovers win, Rovers’s superior goal difference will see them become champions. Rovers can still also miss out on Europe in the unlikely event that they lose to Waterford, St Pat’s win, Derry City beat Shelbourne and Drogheda United beat Derry City in the FAI Cup final.
St Patrick’s Athletic have won an incredible eight games in a row, but it is just too late to win the most improbable title. However, they have put themselves in a great position for European football, where a ninth win in a row, against Sligo Rovers, would guarantee a top-three placing. They must at least equal Derry City’s result against Shels to guarantee top three, for example losing to Sligo Rovers while Derry draw would see them finish fourth. However, fourth place will also get European football should Derry win the FAI Cup final against Drogheda. Should they finish fourth and Drogheda win the FAI Cup final, then they would miss out on Europe.
Derry City cannot win the league after losing to St Pat’s on Friday. Focus will turn to the FAI Cup final, which would bring European football, or finishing in the top three should they lose that final – the most likely scenario by beating or drawing with Shelbourne and St Pat’s losing to Sligo Rovers.
