By Terry Flaherty

With only two more league games remaining after tonight's encounter with Wexford Youths, how quickly the season has passed us by as we come to the end of our fourth Airtricity League campaign. It has been another tough season in senior football for the club but one in which the club has hopefully learned a lot both on and off the field.

The players must be given credit for the performance they put in last Friday night away to Athlone Town, as just a week after the bitterly disappointing display in the quarter final of the FAI Cup in Derry, they responded well to Johnny's call to put that game behind them.

The second half display in particular saw some of the best passing and attacking play of the season to date and if we had taken at least half the chances that were created, the score line could easily have been doubled. But more importantly the three points were secured and with our city rivals, SD Galway, losing narrowly to Limerick we have now opened up a five point gap once again so another positive result tonight could possible ensure we secure a seventh place finish.

There have been some good performances throughout the season but Pat Hoban has to be singled out as he became the first Mervue Utd player to hit double figures in our four seasons in the league when he scored that cracking consolation goal in the Brandywell to record his tenth of the season. He has of course added two more since in last week's 3-0 win in Athlone and has also played in every game this season bar one (28 in total), only missing the away game with Finn Harps due to suspension in July.

Our visitors tonight have also recently registered a 3-0 away win over Athlone and come into tonight's game on the back of a 2-2 draw with an inform Finn Harps, who we ironically also drew 1-1 with in our last home game, which seems a long time ago now, on the last day of August.

In our meetings this season we do hold a slight upper hand having won the two most recent encounters, while Shane Keegan's side won the opening fixture at the end of March. The last meeting in July ended with a 2-1 away victory courtesy of strikes from Jason Molloy and Pat Hoban with Tom Elmes late penalty Wexford's reply. Goals from Jason Molloy and two from Alan Murphy handed the home team a 3-0 win here at Fahy's Field in mid-May.

Interestingly though honours are even between the sides in our twelve league meetings to date, the record reads five wins each and two scoreless draws, both back in our first season in 2009. There have also been some high scoring games between the sides with 3-2, 5-2 and 5-3 results recorded in recent seasons.

Of course the two club's met in the Airtricity Under 19 league at Fahy's Field last weekend and we came out on top in that encounter after an assured first half performance by Justin Neary and Colin Nolan's young side.

Tonight's game promises to be a good game of football as both sides like to get the ball down and play so let's hope we deliver a football performance to match last week's display and it's the claret and sky blue colours celebrating another three points come half nine.