National League/Shelbourne - 3 Drogheda Utd - 3: Shelbourne failed to negotiate a path around Drogheda United - who travelled without a win in four - and squandered a chance to bridge the gap between themselves and pacesetters Cork and Derry City but will welcome at least the point after looking set for defeat.
With Europe cast aside for another season at least, manager Pat Fenlon had warned it was the "last-chance saloon" for his league champions but they failed to make inroads on their two rivals, who both let points slip at the weekend.
A controversial Declan O'Brien goal three minutes from time looked as though it would secure full points but Jason Bryne curled a free around the Drogheda wall for the equaliser five minutes into injury-time.
Shelbourne's cause in the weeks ahead, though, won't be helped following Fenlon's sending off for protesting furiously with referee John Feighery and one of his assistants Ciarán Delaney after the O'Brien goal.
Indeed, Shelbourne's trip to Cork on Monday is now all the more significant but they will travel in the hope of catching out their rivals who are preoccupied in the meantime with Thursday's Uefa Cup trip to Stockholm.
Shelbourne made a spectacular start, scoring after just three minutes. Wes Hoolahan, back in the side after his substitutes role in Bucharest, pounced on a poorly cleared ball and shot high into Dan Connor's net from 25 yards.
Drogheda were not fazed, however, and used the flanks well in their attempt to prize open Shelbourne's defence. Indeed, their good work was rewarded five minutes after Hoolahan's initial strike when Jermaine Sandvliet got up to head Stephen Bradley's cross home at the near post.
But Shelbourne, too, were also keen to get forward and Hoolahan and Richie Baker were particularly dangerous.
However, it was former Republic of Ireland international Curtis Fleming who played in Stuart Byrne to shoot low and hard past Connor in the 15th minute to restore the lead.
Again Drogheda refused to panic and, if anything, were more deliberate in their actions, keeping better control of the ball in the final third. It was no surprise then that they levelled soon after. Mark Leech and Sandvliet exchanged passes to beat Fleming and then, on 29 minutes, the latter raced into the box and crossed low for Keith Fahey, who scored with a powerful shot.
Shelbourne saw little action in the visitors' box after the restart as strikers Glen Crowe and Jason Byrne were starved of decent ball as crosses from wide lacked precision. Indeed, Crowe, frozen out for much of the night, squandered a superb chance to restore the lead 15 minutes from time, finishing Baker's cross over the bar from close range.
Then in a dramatic conclusion, Drogheda scored what looked the winner. O'Brien was put through the middle but the Shelbourne defenders stopped tracking back when the linesman raised his flag. But referee Feighery waved on play and the striker tucked home much to Fenlon's frustration. Byrne though salvaged a point in the dying moments of the game.
SHELBOURNE: Delaney; Fleming, Hawkins, Harris, Crawley; Baker, S Byrne, Hoolahan, Ndo; Crowe, J Byrne. Subs: Moore for Hoolahan (73 mins), O'Neill for Crowe (79 mins), Ryan for Baker (85 mins). Booked: Harris (83 mins)
DROGHEDA: Connor; Lynch, Malcolm, Gray, Webb; Fahey, Bradley, Bernard, Sandvliet; O'Brien, Leech. Subs: Rooney for Leech (73 mins), Ristila for Bradley (86 mins), Sullivan for O'Brien (90 mins). Booked: Malcolm (14 mins), Sandvliet (23 mins).
Referee: J Feighery (Dublin).
