A fixture that served up some of last season's finest drama now arrives with even more weight and anticipation.
St Patrick’s Athletic versus Shelbourne at Richmond Park this evening is a collision of momentum, style, and belief.
After observing the opening seven games of the 2024 League of Ireland Premier Division, there’s a growing sense that these two clubs may just be the ones to beat.
It’s early, yes, but the signs are unmistakable: St Pat’s and Shels are shaping up to be this season’s frontrunners.
The evidence? Both clubs have improved notably on last season’s versions of themselves - no small feat considering their respective trajectories - and tonight’s fixture feels like the first heavyweight bout in a title race that could go all the way.
Those who followed last year’s encounters between these sides will remember them well.
Evan Caffrey’s 96th-minute winner in Richmond Park was the kind of heart-stopping moment that defines a season.
And who could forget the return fixture at Tolka Park? It was as thrilling a domestic clash as we’ve seen in years - end-to-end, high tempo, stunning goals - ended by a Kazeem winner in the 88th minute.
A proper League of Ireland classic, with the cameras rolling and one that has lingered in the memory.
That same energy is expected tonight. Both teams now boast managers who know how to set their teams up to win - but almost as importantly - to entertain.
Stephen Kenny and Damien Duff may be polar opposites in terms of career paths, but they share a commitment to attacking football.
Kenny’s Pats are beginning to look like his own - back-to-back wins over Bohemians and Waterford have lifted them from their early-season wobble - and even their loss to Shamrock Rovers showed more promise than concern.
There’s a defined purpose in how they play now, using the width of the pitch expertly and capitalising on the pace and directness of their wingers.
Duff, meanwhile, has instilled grit and guile in equal measure.
The introduction of Kerr McInroy into the midfield has brought an added energy and balance to them.
More direct than tonight's opponents, Shels attack with intent, often using two up top, and have flexibility in coming away from the two-man frontline and transitioning to a deeper-lying Ellis Chapman role which adds tactical variety.
Their latest win - 2-1 away at Sligo - was exactly the type of result Duff will be pleased with.
Two early goals, a strong defensive display under pressure, and three points banked. Coming off the back of four games without a win, that response was telling and needed.
Pats' recruitment has added pace, final-third quality and depth, while Shelbourne’s signing of Mipo Odubeko and Chapman from Sligo Rovers have injected the kind of flair needed for another title tilt.
But what stands out is how each squad now mirrors its manager.
Kenny has always built sides that play purposeful, possession-driven football and trusts wide players to be decisive.
Duff has created a team that loves the defensive battle, that presses high but doesn’t overcommit, and that can find goals from multiple sources - vital in any season where goalscoring is needed across positions.
Don’t expect either manager to park the bus.
Both believe in their systems, both want to impose their game.
But the winner tonight might not be the flashier side - it might come down to who controls the key moments better.
Who defends their box with more authority? Who wins the second balls in midfield? Who takes their chances?
One point separates these clubs heading into tonight, and while the league table in April rarely tells the full story, the patterns are hard to ignore.
Pat’s and Shels are clicking into gear just as the season is about to get busy.
A sold-out Richmond Park under the lights, with two attack-minded managers, squads full of quality, and recent history pointing to late drama - it has all the makings of another classic.
Whatever unfolds this evening, we might just be watching the top two of 2025 writing another thrilling chapter in their emerging rivalry.
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