The 2024 season was among the most-anticipated ever and it's fair to say the hype has been justified.
Week four brings a Dublin derby that already has implications in the table, as the dominant side for most of this decade currently occupy bottom spot.
Stephen Bradley has been eager to avoid panic at Tallaght Stadium, but the prospect of a St Patrick’s Athletic side visiting brings real danger to their season.
We’ve been here before when it comes to the Hoops. Slow starts, followed by blitzing all around them has been their usual style of becoming champions.
It nearly worked in a particularly poor season last year.
But perhaps the evidence of the first three weeks has been this is not a year where they can drop points and make up for it later year in year.
A third loss in four tonight would open up a noteworthy gap to the Saints and others.
Pat’s had their own troubles with a point from their opening two matches.
Aidan Keena kicked them into life last week in Richmond Park as they scored six goals and got their season up and running.
It promises to be a game easy on the eye, providing the Tallaght pitch has recovered from a busy February.
Bradley has attempted to keep the results so far in perspective: "We know, and I've always said this as long as I’ve been here, that you judge us in November. That hasn’t changed. Are we happy at losing the game on Monday, of course not, we need to be better at losing those type of games.
"That can’t happen again, but I really like large aspects of what the group is doing and where they are. I like the feel of where the group is."
"We finally play a home League game this season, a Dublin Derby against St Pats, it's heading for a near sellout again despite live TV coverage, so there’ll be no need to get anyone up for the game, be it players, staff and supporters.
"The players just need to trust the process and trust what we do. As I said, a lot of what we’re doing has been good. We need to tidy up the bits where we’ve been off it."
There is a clash of the teams in the top three as champions Shelbourne welcome Drogheda United.
Both are unbeaten, and while many expected Shels to be up there, United have also built on their success of last year.
Damien Duff has been quick to praise his counterpart Kevin Doherty for the job he has done with the Boynesiders.
"They're always a threat, dangerous, and hard to beat," he said.
"Top-quality players, and people often forget that. They have a top manager. People around this league, in the press, are always very quick to disrespect them and say Drogheda will struggle, they will always prove them wrong.
"Just 12 weeks ago, they deservedly won the FAI Cup. They’re as tough as they come in this league, just look at their start to the season. We know how good they are but it’s important that we take care of ourselves and be ready.
"No gifts, no attitude of, we're grand here. Look at Ryan Brennan, Darragh Markey, Shane Farrell, Thomas Oluwa, Conor Kane. They’ve got pace out wide, they’ve got quality. If we underestimate them, we’ll cause ourselves problems."
Tyreke Wilson and Daniel Kelly are still out but Sean Gannon and Sam Bone could return tonight.
Two managers come up against their former club as Keith Long welcomes Alan Reynolds back to the RSC to take on Bohemians.
The mood in their camps could hardly be any different.
The Blues are riding high with three wins to their name, including in Derry and Sligo, and top the table.
Reynolds finds himself under pressure after being able to build on their opening day success at the Aviva Stadium.
The Bohs manager is not backing away from the situation: "Fans are frustrated by that and, as I said on Monday night, it is up to us now to roll up our sleeves and, collectively as a team and as a backroom team, to win back their trust.
"Waterford have had a great start to the season, so we have to be a lot better than we have been over the past couple of weeks. Monday simply wasn’t good enough.
"We have some quality players at the club now but we need to play with more confidence and conviction, and assert ourselves on the opposition."
The experienced duo of captain Keith Buckley and Jordan Flores, who both started against Cork City last Friday but who were not risked on Monday against Drogheda United after injury lay-offs, come back into contention.
However there are doubts over Lys Mousset and Rob Cornwall, while Alex Lacey remains out.
Cork City and Sligo Rovers meet at Turner's Cross as two of the sides expected to be in the mix for the relegation places clash.
With a win each so far, both have shown why they will be a match for any side throughout the season in this hotly contested division.
Rovers return to Cork for the first time since 2023 full of confidence following their three points against Shamrock Rovers on Monday in front of a crowd of over 4,000.
Bit O' Red boss John Russell wants to keep the positivity from that game going: "We'll be looking to bring that momentum with us down to Cork. Every ground in this league is tough to go to but somewhere like Turner's Cross can be especially difficult for visiting teams. They'll have a big crowd in and it's important we ease ourselves into the occasion.
"They'll be hurting following that game in Waterford and they'll be going all in trying to pick up points at home. Our aim is always to win football matches and Friday is no different. We have shown already that we have a lot of ability in this squad and we're going to try and show that in Cork."
City look to be without Sean Maguire and Greg Bolger as they await scans on injuries picked up in the loss to Waterford.
Cathal O'Sullivan is nearing a return but this game but come too soon.
Freddie Anderson is suspended.
The final game of the night sees Derry City host Galway United at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.
It has been a baptism of fire for Tiernan Lynch so far as he has struggled to gel his squad quickly.
Meanwhile John Caulfield has used the experience of his side to great effect as they remain unbeaten.
Lynch has stressed he is not a novice given at Larne it took time to build success.
He told the Irish News: "We haven't had any games where we’ve come away scratching our heads thinking we’re miles behind. It hasn’t been that at all. There have been very fine margins and the decisions that go with it.
"We just have to keep clear heads, keep believing in the process, and I do believe that with the talent that they have, the ability that they have and the work ethic that they have, that this will turn.
"It’s definitely not my first rodeo in this situation."
