LOI Premier Division: Shelbourne 2, S t Patrick’s Athletic 3 Al-Amin Kazeem of St Patrick's Athletic, left, celebrates with team-mate Anto Breslin after scoring his side's third goal during their SSE Airtricity Premier Division victory over Shelbourne at Tolka Park. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile Brandon Kavanagh of St Patrick's Athletic celebrates after scoring his side's second against Shelbourne The game of the season could end up being central to the story of it. On a night of extraordinary drama in Tolka Park, Shelbourne came back from the dead to level things up, only to fall to a late winner that will breathe life into the league title hopes of the chasing pack.
Incredibly, that contingent includes Stephen Kenny’s Saints, with five wins in a row leaving them seven points off the pace. Kenny feels it’s too little too late for that equation but their presence has added another layer to the European picture in a campaign packed with twists and turns. This game was full of them.
It’s not just the outcome that will scar Damien Duff’s side. The manner of it will sting, with the energy created by a two-goal comeback – courtesy of superb long-range strikes from Rayhaan Tulloch and Matty Smith – deflated in dramatic fashion by Saints sub Al-Amin Kazeem reacting quickest when Mason Melia swivelled in the box to strike the post. Just two minutes of normal time remained.
Seconds earlier, Shels were sniffing the unlikeliest of victories, three points that might.
