Sean Boyd came off the bench to score two huge goals as Shelbourne twice came from behind against Dundalk at Oriel Park to claim a first league win for manager John Russell.
The Drumcondra men hadn’t won since beating Ciarán Kilduff’s side back at the start of July and looked on course for that run to continue when goals from Ronan Teahan and Declan McDaid either side of Sean Moore’s equaliser put the home side in front.
However, two late goals from Boyd either side of a red card for Shane Tracey not only eased the Tolka Park outfit’s relegation concerns, but put them firmly back in the hunt for fourth place as they can leapfrog both Dundalk and Derry City by winning away to Galway Utd next week.
The late capitulation was a further hammer blow for the Louth men, whose season is in danger of petering out having won just one of their last 11 league matches.
It was the home side who were first to threaten with Enda Minogue pulling off a huge save to deny Moore at point-blank range in the ninth minute after he had been slipped in by Mipo Odubeko.
Dundalk then hit the front with their first attempt three minutes later as Trevor Clarke’s dinked cross found Teahan unmarked to head past Eddie Beach to the bottom right-hand corner.
Ronan Teahan celebrates the opening goal of the game
It should have been 2-0 to the Louth men on 14 minutes when a loose pass presented Cian Dillon with a chance to lob Beach.
A poor attempt was gathered by the former Welsh U21 goalkeeper, but he injured his hip in the process and had to be replaced by Conor Walsh, who was called into action almost immediately to make a good stop from Clarke’s snapshot before Kameron Ledwidge blocked the follow up effort from JR Wilson.
Clarke would also depart injured soon after with his replacement, McDaid, dragging a shot tamely wide on his weaker left foot on 32 minutes.
Dundalk then suffered another injury setback three minutes later when Wilson pulled up in his attempt to chase down James Norris, whose crossed had to be hooked clear from under his own crossbar by Tom Grivosti.
His replacement, Harvey Warren, was then caught out for Shelbourne’s equaliser on 39 minutes as Norris got in behind him on the left.
His cross was pushed clear by Minogue but only as far as Daniel Kelly, whose scuffed effort was turned in at close range by Moore despite the presence of Mayowa Animasahun and Grivosti on the line.
Odubeko did have a further chance before the break, but saw his effort from just outside the box fired straight at Minogue.
It was the hosts who threatened to restore their lead within six minutes of the restart as there was pinball in the Shels box from Daryl Horgan’s free with Teahan and Grivosti having half chances before Horgan’s follow up was deflected out for a corner.
Dillon then had a good half-chance on the break as he raced onto Horgan’s ball up the left channel before beating Odhran Casey, only to be denied at his near post by Walsh, with the visitors clearing before anyone in a white shirt could pounce on the loose ball.
Horgan then had a go from range after stepping inside Milan Mbeng on 63 minutes, but his effort fizzed into the side-netting with Walsh struggling to get there.
The Lilywhites were breathing a huge sigh of relief three minutes later when a training ground routine saw Evan Caffrey take a short free to Kerr McInroy. His floated ball into the box was headed across goal by Kameron Ledwidge, with the inrushing Kelly firing agonisingly wide at the back post when it looked easier to score.
The home side would retake the lead on 71 minutes with three substitutes combining as Leo Gaxha had an immediate impact as he kept Horgan’s free alive before it was crossed by Warren for the inrushing McDaid to head home from close range.
The Dundalk goal would live a charmed life in the moments after with Kelly fluffing another good chance before Caffrey blasted a cross across the face of goal.
Bobby Burns then fired over at the other end before Shels levelled matters in fortuitous circumstances nine minutes from the end as Jack Henry-Francis’ effort came off Boyd, diverting the direction of the initial shot as it squirmed past Minogue to the bottom right-hand corner.
The hosts were then reduced to 10 men with five minutes to go when Tracey was adjudged to have caught Henry-Francis late.
The visitors then stole it in the 90th minute with Casey allowed saunter forward from defence to cross for Boyd to head home to cap an amazing turnaround.
Dundalk: Minogue; JR Wilson (Warren 37), Animasahun, Grivosti, Burns; Dervin, Buckley (Tracey 70); Clarke (McDaid 27), Teahan, Horgan; Dillon (Gaxha 70).
Shelbourne: Beach (Walsh 17); Mbeng, Casey, Ledwidge, Norris; McInroy (Coote 78), Henry-Francis; Kelly (Boyd 78) Moore, Caffrey; Odubeko (Ring 78).
Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan.