Just nine points separate Dungannon Swifts in fifth place and Bangor in eighth.
With Larne, Coleraine, Glentoran and Linfield looking nailed on to finish in the top half there are just two more spots up for grabs.
A rare win for the Swifts away to the Blues on Tuesday would help them to move closer to a second successive top half finish and leave them just three points off David Healy’s side, with boss Rodney McAree stating that is their target.
Carrick are eight points further behind, but occupy sixth by virtue of their tremendous turnaround in form.
They are unbeaten in their last five games and will fancy their chances of extending that record when they host struggling Glenavon.
The other two sides who are just a point off Stephen Baxter’s team are Cliftonville and Bangor, who meet at Solitude on Tuesday.
It’s been a turbulent period on and off the pitch for Cliftonville, which culminated in the resignation of chairman Kieran Harding on Saturday soon after their dramatic late Irish Cup win over Glenavon.
Boss Jim Magilton hopes that victory can be the catalyst for an upturn in their league form as their last league win came on 13 December.
Bangor have also hit a sticky patch following their bright start to life back in the top flight.
They have lost their last three league games, but they did beat the Reds in August and picked up a point against them in December.