Shelbourne 1 Dundalk 0
A terrific early goal from Will Jarvis gave Shelbourne a first victory over Dundalk in 11 years to reignite their European aspirations.
The win moves Damien Duff’s side back above Bohemians into fourth place, if with a game more played.
It was no more than Shelbourne deserved for a dominant first-half display.
And though Dundalk enjoyed plenty of the ball in the second half, they failed to trouble the home defence and thus remain in sixth place in the table.
With Shelbourne manager Damien Duff watching from the sidelines as he served a suspension, his players provided plenty of early cheer with a cracking goal after just four minutes.
JJ Lunney’s ball from the back found Jack Moylan who spun Darren Brownlie brilliantly, leaving the Dundalk defender floundering, to race forward and play a sublime ball across the area for winger Jarvis.
The Hull City loanee was calmness personified as he cut past goalkeeper Nathan Shepperd to rifle to the top corner of the net.
Evan Caffrey gave Moylan a run on goal minutes later, this time Dundalk’s defending was far better, Greg Sloggett getting back to make a telling block.
In a lively opening to the game, Shelbourne defending was then suspect on 12 minutes when Dundalk midfielder Paul Doyle was given room to advance and hit a drive not far wide.
But it was Moylan who was thrilling the home fans. The Shelbourne striker collected a Jarvis pass to nutmeg Brownlie only to drill his shot wide.
Within a minute, Moylan pounced on a loose Dundalk pass to skip by Sloggett only to once again blast his shot off target.
Dundalk saved their most penetrating move of the first half for deep into added time.
Daryl Horgan was twice involved in linking with Johannes Yli-Kokko to set up Doyle who again shot just off target.
Though Dundalk had far more about them on the resumption, pinning Shelbourne in their own half early on, they failed to create an opening.
Having held firm, Shelbourne worked hard to play their way back into the game.
But it was the 78th minute before either keeper had a save to make, Shepperd gathering a dangerous cross from Wood who then shot wide after good work from substitute Shane Farrell and Moylan.
Shelbourne: Kearns; Molloy, Barrett, Griffin; Lunney, Coyle; T. Wilson, Caffrey (Farrell, 69), Wood, Jarvis (McManus, 78; Ledwidge, 84); Moylan.
Dundalk: Shepperd; Davies, Sloggett, Brownlie, Benson (Elliott, 71); Yli-Kokko (Martin, 62), Doyle (Malley, 53), Horgan; Kelly (O’Kane, 71), Hoban, Durrant (Muller, 53).
Referee: Eoghan O’Shea (Tipperary).
