Shelbourne - 0 Shamrock Rovers - 2 Goals early and very late from James Keddy and Garry Haylock blew the championship race wide open as Shamrock Rovers brought their European aspirations back into focus to duly assist the title retention hopes of their arch-rivals Bohemians.
Shelbourne manager Pat Fenlon had made reference to the fact prior to the game that Rovers were unlucky not to be further up the table than they are.
True enough, because on the evidence of the first half you would have thought that it was Liam Buckley's side who were top of the table as they took the game to the league leaders, trooping off at the break good value for their 1-0 lead.
Trevor Molloy, in particular, was a threat Shelbourne couldn't smother and he was involved in Rovers' superb lead goal after 10 minutes. Jason Colwell began the move with a ball forward to Molloy, who flicked it through for the run of Keddy and the winger's left-footed shot bent into the top right-hand corner of Steve Williams' net for a stunning strike.
Missing the steadying influence of captain Owen Heary and Kevin Doherty, the reshaped Shelbourne defence was struggling against an inventive Rovers attack, and they were carved open again when the lively Molloy created a chance from nothing when he cut across from the right to shoot a foot wide.
A sweeping Rovers move, this time down the left, had Shelbourne in trouble once more minutes later. Keddy fed Molloy whose powerful cross was headed straight at Williams by Glen Fitzpatrick.
The siege was lifted on 26 minutes when Richie Baker put in a low diagonal ball for Jason Byrne but the striker failed to make contact.
A delightful piece of dribbling from Wes Hoolahan, who mesmerised a host of defenders, then set up Thomas Morgan. But the midfielder ballooned his shot over the bar with only Tony O'Dowd to beat.
Rovers responded to tear Shelbourne apart at the back again just after the half hour. Molloy once more combined with Keddy down the left to pick out Fitzpatrick, but the 21-year-old somehow contrived to side-foot over the top from six yards for an unbelievable miss.
Shelbourne enjoyed their best spell of the match from the resumption but stout defending and poor finishing would cost them. Keith Doyle made a superb tackle on Ollie Cahill to force the winger to shoot over the top, while Byrne headed over from Hoolahan's corner.
O'Dowd then came into his own with excellent stops from Byrne and substitute Stephen Geoghegan as Rovers held out to hit Shelbourne on the break to score a second goal two minutes into stoppage time. Keddy broke free onto a flick from midfield to drill a shot against a post and substitute Haylock tapped in the rebound.
SHELBOURNE: Williams; S Byrne, Harris, A McCarthy, Rogers; R Baker (Geoghegan, 77 mins), Morgan (Rowe, 67 mins), Crawford, Cahill; Hoolahan (G McCarthy, 85 mins), J Byrne.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: O'Dowd; Croly, Palmer, Deans, Doyle; S Grant, Colwell, Boughanem, Keddy; Fitzpatrick, Molloy (Haylock, 85 mins).
Referee: A Buttimer (Cork).
