The League pennant edged a little closer towards the top of the flagpole at Tolka Park as Shelbourne came from behind to beat Shamrock Rovers 2-1 and put themselves firmly in the driving seat for the coveted title. With one game left to play, the Tolka Park side are five points clear of their nearest challengers, St Patrick's Athletic.

But this game was not without its moments of controversy, with Rovers claiming that the decisive Shelbourne goal was handled rather than headed to the net by Stephen Geoghegan. But the winning of league titles demands such luck and Shelbourne have had more than their share in the last two league games. The only team who could deprive them of the title are St Patrick's, and they face a daunting task against Dundalk at Richmond Park tomorrow. Indeed Dundalk could be the king makers as Shelbourne have to travel to the Co Louth venue next week.

One notable absentee from Tolka Park last night was the St Patrick's manager, Pat Dolan, who preferred to sit at home rather than subject himself to any unnecessary torture.

Shelbourne started brightly and enjoyed the best of the early exchanges as some drizzly rain made the surface very greasy. Dessie Baker had several early surges down the right wing and after 12 minutes Geoghegan should have done better from a Baker cross but he shot tamely wide.

Mark Rutherford on the other wing had also caused moments of anxiety in the Rovers defence. After skipping by three defenders, Matt Britton, Derek Tracey and Jason Colwell, he crossed, but Gino Brazil was alert to the danger while Liam Kelly and Pat Fenlon also tested Robbie Horgan's reflexes. But Rovers, having survived the early onslaught, and with a possibility of European football on the horizon if they could garner sufficient points from their remaining games, began to gain a foothold. A mix up in midfield between Pat Scully and Dean Fitzgerald allowed Tracey to set Brian Morrisroe away on the left. The winger's cross had Shelbourne hearts fluttering as the defence was marked absent, but his shot went past the post.

That seemed to be the catalyst for Rovers to shake themselves out of their early lethargy. In the 32nd minute Tracey had the ball in the back of the net only for his effort to be ruled off-side. Two minutes later the Rovers fans were on their feet clamouring for a penalty after Tony Cousins had set Marc Kenny clear. As Kenny bore down on the Shelbourne penalty area he was closely pursued by Pat Fenlon. Inside the box the pair raced together and Kenny went down and appealed for the penalty. In truth the Rovers man was as much a sinner as sinned against. The Rovers goal when it came, three minutes before the interval, was from a set-piece. Richie Purdy had forced the corner, with Rutherford getting a touch as he attempted to avert the immediate danger. Out on the left Kenny played a short corner to Morrisroe who returned it to the midfielder and Kenny's inswinging effort was headed past Gough by Richie Purdy from six metres.

Shelbourne came out in the second half with their determination to retrieve the game very evident. They eased the tension palpably 10 minutes after the resumption when Gough threw the ball out to Costello. The full back found Baker in midfield and after sending Tracey the wrong way his lob released Geoghegan. With Paul Whelan loosing his footing on the slippery ground Geoghegan finally got clear and his low effort went past Horgan to bring Shelbourne back into the game.

They kept up the tempo and were parked for long periods in the Rovers half, but the hoped-for breakthrough seemed beyond them. Eventually, in the 68th minute, a Fenlon free from outside the box was headed across goal by Pat Scully and Geoghegan helped it into the net, despite the vehement protestations of the Rovers defence, who maintained that he had handled it.

Shelbourne: Gough, Costello, Scully, McCarthy, Smith, Baker, Fenlon, Fitzgerald, Rutherford, Kelly, Geoghegan. Sub: Neville for Geoghegan (92 mins).

Shamrock Rovers: Horgan, Britton, Whelan, Brazil, Dunne, Tracey, Colwell, Purdy, Morrisroe, Kenny, Cousins.

Referee: J Feighery (Dublin).