It's matchday five this evening and it’s as if someone has turned the table upside down.
It’s hard to believe coming up to the fifth round of games that Shamrock Rovers sit at the bottom of the table, albeit having played a game less, and Derry City sit just above them.
Football has a way of levelling things out. Form can be temporary, and for all the excitement of these early weeks, it’s the teams that can sustain their performances over the long haul that will be in the mix come November.
At the top end, Waterford are setting the pace, and Drogheda United - who many feared would struggle - remain unbeaten and sit second.
If you’d told anyone this would be the league table a month ago, they’d have laughed you out of the room.
But this is the League of Ireland, and the opening weeks of the season have served up chaos.
Kevin Doherty’s Drogheda were widely expected to be in a relegation scrap this season, especially after their unconvincing showing against Shelbourne in the President’s Cup.
On that night, they looked disjointed, sluggish, and far from a team capable of competing at the level needed.
But something changed.
Doherty clearly took that game as a wake-up call, made adjustments, and his side have been transformed ever since.
Their resilience and ability to adapt have seen them take points from every game so far, and tonight’s clash away to Shelbourne, a repeat of that President’s Cup, will be another key test.
Shelbourne, despite a tough fixture list, have navigated their way through the opening rounds well.
They’ve won the games they were expected to win and avoided defeats to direct rivals.
Damien Duff has assembled a squad with depth, which was evident in the number of changes he made in their recent 1-1 draw with Galway.
The front two, in particular, have been a handful, and their impressive strength in depth has taken them on to another level this year.
Waterford’s start to the season has been impressive.
Keith Long, much like Doherty, has a knack for picking up unexpected results with squads that, on paper, don’t seem strong enough to compete with their opposition.
Their standout result so far has been their 2-1 win away at Derry - a result that got people talking about Long’s ability to pick up results against the odds.
Their game tonight against Bohemians at the RSC is arguably more important for Bohs than it is for Waterford.
Bohs have endured a difficult start, losing three of their first four matches, and their struggles in front of goal are becoming a major concern.
Lys Mousset, their gamble signing, has yet to hit full fitness, and with the goals hard to come by, Alan Reynolds finds himself under early pressure.
Waterford, on the other hand, have played without fear, and with momentum behind them, they’ll relish the opportunity to put another dent in Bohemians’ season.
For the last number of seasons, Shamrock Rovers have had a habit of starting slow before finding their groove and steamrolling the league in the second half of the campaign.
But this time, things feel different.
The squad seems to be suffering from a European hangover, and crucially, they haven’t replaced the athleticism of some of the key players they lost over the winter.
Injuries haven’t helped either, with their squad depth being tested earlier than expected.
Stephen Bradley’s men can’t afford to continue this slow start.
In previous years, they had a cushion where they could drop points early and still claw their way back. But with so many teams improving, that luxury no longer exists.
A defeat tonight against St Patrick’s Athletic could see them potentially fall ten points behind the league leaders - a gap that, even at this early stage, would be a monumental task to overturn.
Derry City’s struggles have been equally baffling. With three losses in four, their start has been underwhelming, to say the least.
On paper, they had a tough run of games, but for a side that invested heavily in the summer, more was expected.
Their defensive frailties have been exposed, and the signing of Kevin Holt was a necessary addition to tighten things up at the back.
However, tonight’s game against Galway will be another tough battle.
John Caulfield’s side's football may not be the prettiest on the eye, but they are relentless, physical, and incredibly difficult to beat. Derry need a response - and fast.
Amidst all the chaos, St Patrick’s Athletic have quietly gone about their business, and after a shaky start, they seem to have found their rhythm.
Aidan Keena has been sensational, already hitting five goals, and their back-to-back wins against Derry and Sligo have lifted spirits.
Their clash with Shamrock Rovers tonight is, without doubt, the standout fixture of the round.
A win for either side would be a statement of intent - a declaration that they are here to challenge for the title.
For Rovers, the pressure is immense. For Pats, this is an opportunity to lay down a marker.
Meanwhile, Galway continue to do what they do best - grind teams down. They are yet to lose a game and are making life miserable for every opponent they face.
St Pat's have already been a victim of their aggressive, effective style, and if teams continue to underestimate them, Galway will continue to take points from the so-called 'bigger’ sides.
Tonight’s fixtures could reaffirm some of our early assumptions - or throw up more surprises.
At this rate, nothing would be shocking.
