Even Shelbourne couldn't have expected it to be this easy. Three goals to the good at half-time at Richmond Park, and hardly needing to break sweat against a totally disorganised St Patrick's Athletic team, a facile win to go top of the table looked likely by half-time, or so they thought.

However, St Patrick's re-organised at half-time and made a match of it for the last 25 minutes by pulling back two goals in dramatic style. Indeed, their second half efforts could have earned them a point. Shelbourne manager Damien Richardson had stressed to his side the importance of improving their performances in Dublin derbies and it clearly registered with his players well up for the game.

There was the usual cat and mouse build-up as to who would and wouldn't play, and then a needless piece of gamesmanship prior to the kick-off.

Davy Campbell, the subject of much verbal abuse from the St Patrick's fans since his departure to Tolka Park, wore the captain's arm-band and led Shelbourne out before passing it to regular skipper Mick Neville prior to the toss.

Campbell then rubbed it into his tormentors by crossing for the first goal after only 14 minutes. The loyal home fans in the shed were well and truly silenced by the interval as Shelbourne ran up a 30 scoreline almost at will as the home side hardly got out of their half. However, the game was scrappy and mistake-ridden, certainly in the first-half, and only really began to flow as St Patrick's chased the game in the second half.

Certainly, St Patrick's were not helped by their stifling five-man midfield, which included Stephen McGuinness who normally operates as a central defender.

Shelbourne got the dream start when Dave Smith flicked a poor clearance to Stephen Geoghegan who found Campbell in behind Keith Doyle. Campbell's low cross bypassed a cluster of players for Mark Rutherford to have the simple task of tapping the ball home at the back post.

Stephen Geoghegan, back in the Shelbourne starting line-up, might have added a second on 27 minutes. However, he failed to realise the time he had from Campbell's knock down from Smith cross as he headed tamely at Wood.

Dessie Baker found the St Patrick's defence wanting again two minutes later when he missed the proverbial sitter as he side-footed over from six yards from Rutherford's cross.

Shelbourne's second goal on 37 minutes followed some dreadful defending. After Campbell fouled Rutherford near the left-corner flag, Baker floated the free to the near post where Paul Campbell flicked the ball across for Pat Scully to score with a diving header off a post. It was the player's fourth goal in four games.

Shelbourne then piled on the agony with a third goal two minutes before the break. Rutherford's deep cross finding the unmarked Baker who looped a powerful header over Trevor Wood.

St Patrick's rung the changes at half-time, bringing on Keith Doyle, Robbie Devereaux and Ricky O'Flaherty, but the damage was already done and Shelbourne simply had to keep their shape and heads to win.

Long's introduction gave St Patrick's some hope within four minutes of the re-start; his direct freekick from 25 yards deceiving O'Brien who could only help the ball into the net.

Shelbourne's riposte was immediate as Wood had to dive full-length to push a Rutherford drive over the crossbar.

The game was thrown wide open with the second St Patrick's goal in the 64th minute. Gormley's corner was met by the head of Colin Hawkins whose effort was tipped onto the bar by O'Brien. However, Trevor Molloy, surprisingly quiet till then, scooped in the rebound.