Shamrock Rovers came from a goal down to claim all three points as Shelbourne suffered back to back 3-2 defeats on an evening that former Irish International Graham Burke scored his 100th competitive goal for Stephens Bradleys side.
Ali Coote had given Shels the lead in the 32nd minute, but two quick goals at the end of the first half from Roberto Lopez and Michael Noonan, gave Rovers the advantage at the break
And when Shels keeper Wessel Speel dropped a Jack Byrne corner in the 57th minute, Byrne was on hand to tap the loose ball to the net to take his tally of goal to three figures for the Tallaght side.
Jack Henry-Francis pulled one back for Shels 12 minutes from time, but Rovers saw out the remaining and took the victory their play richly deserved
It was their second league meeting after their 2-2 draw at Tolka Park in the early part of the season and before kick off both sides had made five changes each from their respective games last Friday.
Noonon started upfront for the Hoops while Cory O’Sullivan, who was part of the Ireland squad team in Kazakhstan, returned in place of former Republic of Ireland defender Enda Stevens
Shels dropped striker John Martin to the bench while Sean Boyd who replaced Martin in the loss to Dundalk, wasn’t in the visiting squad with William Jarvis pressed into service as a makeshift centre forward.
Ali Coote put Shels ahead
Rovers had an early chance after Shels coughed up the ball while in possession in midfield allowing Noonan to break into the area, but his shot, which as on target, clipped the heels of a defender, ricochetting to safety.
At the midway point of the half Noonan robbed Sean Gannon who was trying to see the ball out and he fed Byrne whose shot from outside the area was smothered by Speel in the Shels goal.
But it was Shels, who hadn’t laid a glove on the Hoops defence up the 32nd minute, who took the lead as Matt Healy was disposed by Jarvis who, having progressed into the area, fed Harry Wood whose shot was parried by Ed McGinty, but Coote, lurking at the back post, diverted the loose ball to the net.
Coote had another opportunity at the back end of the first half, but having set himself skyed his shot over from the edge of the area.
But Rovers were ahead by half time with two goals in a two minutes, the first on 43 as Byrne shaped to fire in a free kick 10 metres from the Shels area, but inside he played a delightful ball to the back post where home captain Lopez who scored via the post
And as the clocked ticked into added time Lopez played a long ball to the edge of the Shels area, Zeno Rossi miscontrolled and Noonan nipped in to roll the ball past the advancing Speel to make it 2-1 at half time.
Byrne almost got Rovers third with an early second half corner which was sneaking in at the near post by Speel managed to get a hand on the ball as it was cleared via the post.
Jack Byrne of Shamrock Rovers in action against Shels JJ Lunney
But having saved brilliantly from Jake Mullraney shot one handed, Speel turned from hero to villain as Byrnes resultant corner went straight through the Reds keepers hand, a colossal mistake and Burke had the simplest of tasks to put two between the sides in the 57th minute his 100th goal in Hoops colours
Rovers were denied another just after the hour as Noonan, clear in on goal couldn’t beat Speel with his low shot as the keeper saved with his body.
Shels gave the home side a nervous end to the game when they pulled one back in the 78th minute as Henry-Francis was given far to much room on the edge of the area and as a result was able to pick his shot which buried itself into the bottom corner of McGinty’s net.
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Tunmise Sobowale, Roberto Lopes (c), Cory O’Sullivan ; Jake Mulraney (Adam Mathrews 72) Matt Healy, Jack Byrne (John O’Sullivan 57), Victor Ozhianvuna (Najemedine Razi 80), Maleace Asamoah (Danny Grant 57) ; Graham Burke (Aaron Greene 80), Michael Noonan.
Shelbourne: Wessel Speel Sean Gannon (James Roche 76), Zeno Rossi, Kameron Ledwidge , James Norris (Rodrigo Freitas 64); Jack Henry-Francis Kerr McInroy (c) (Daniel Kelly 76); JJ Lunney, Ali Coote (Maill Lundgren 45) ; Harry Wood; William Jarvis (John Martin 64).