There was an inevitability about Roddy Collins' departure from Derry City even before his tactical approach to the bigger games became clear, results fell short of expectations or, in the wake of last week's home defeat by Shamrock Rovers, he effectively damned the state of the club and insulted those who run it by comparing it to a YMCA.
In fact, there was an inevitability about it all regardless of had actually happened dating back to the day of Peter Hutton's appointment as assistant manager. It always seemed to be coming because once the big bust up finally occurred, City's board had such an easy job finding a replacement.
Outlook
Whether "Pizza" can now make a success of the job remains to be seen but the outlook seems bound to change as the squad head to Cork where, one suspects, the visitors may show a little more ambition than they did on one or two of their away trips over the first third of the season.
Rory Patterson is suspended, which is a blow, but Cork have Danny Morrissey, Michael Rafter and Darren Murphy all sidelined again, while Colin Healy is a doubt with a hamstring problem.
Winning ways
John Caulfield is hopeful the midfielder might be okay as he tries to get his side back to winning ways.
League leaders St Patrick’s Athletic, who beat City last week, head to UCD without Derek Foran or Mark Quigley.
The students have shown some improvement over the last few weeks, during which they have gone three unbeaten in the league and stopped leaking so many goals.
Tonight’s game will be a sterner test for them, though, and Aaron Callaghan will be missing Ayman Ben Mohamed, Dean Clarke and, this time, Tomás Boyle, who has a hamstring problem.
Limerick have Sam Obi suspended for the visit of a full- strength Dundalk, who beat them 2-1 earlier in the season at Oriel Park and Stuart Taylor will be wary of a side looking to bounce back from the disappointment of last week's Setanta Cup defeat.
In the night’s other top flight game, Drogheda United will look to half their recent slide by beating Bohemians, a team they came from two down against to draw with in Dublin earlier in the campaign.
United have Alan McNally and Gavin Brennan suspended, while Michael Schlingermann and Stephen Maher are still injured.
Bohemians are again likely to be without Anto Murphy despite his recent return to training and brief appearance against St Patrick's Athletic in the League Cup. The more immediate problem for Owen Heary is Roberto Lopes and Dinny Corcoran are both suspended, while Aidan Price (quad) is likely to miss out.
TONIGHT'S GAMES (7.45 kick-off unless stated
PREMIER DIVISION
Cork City v Derry City
Home: 19/20, Draw: 23/10, Away: 11/4
Drogheda United v Bohemians
Home: 6/4, Draw: 11/5, Away: 17/10
Limerick FC v Dundalk
Home: 11/2, Draw: 13/5, Away: 8/15
UCD v St Patrick's Athletic
Home: 9/1, Draw: 4/1, Away: 2/7
FIRST DIVISION
Galway v Finn Harps
Home: 8/13, Draw: 5/2, Away: 4/1
Shelbourne v Shamrock Rovers (8pm)
Home: 4/9, Draw: 3/1, Away: 11/2
Wexford Youths v Waterford United (8pm)
Home: 5/4, Draw: 9/4, Away: 15/8
