St Patrick's Athletic looked to have wrestled control of the title race before Shelbourne struck twice.

St Patrick's Athletic somehow coughed up control of the 2026 League of Ireland title race on a night of drama.

With Shamrock Rovers losing away to Galway United, it was a chance for Stephen Kenny’s side to wrestle back control of the title race.

Win this one and they would head to Derry City on Monday night knowing a win would send them back to the top on goal-difference, with two games remaining.

And in a dominant first-half display, which included a missed penalty, they made the breakthrough two minutes before half-time through Jamie Lennon.

But their lead lasted until the 50th minute when Sean Moore struck back for a Shelbourne side that had been outclassed for much of the evening.

And then this topsy-turvy title race took another twist when Daniel Kelly broke in the 84th minute, advancing towards the box with a teammate on either side.

He chose to go alone - and it was the correct call as he drilled the ball low inside the left-hand corner from the edge of the area.

Shelbourne’s players celebrated at the final whistle as if the win had propelled them back into the title race, when all it did was make a fourth place finish more likely.

There were some scuffles between rival players, but nothing like last Monday’s brawl at the end of the Rovers-Bohs derby.

The Pat’s players trudged off the pitch knowing that they gave up a genuine chance to take up pole position in the race for the Premier Division crown.

In the end, the real winners were Bohemians, whose victory over Waterford gave them an unexpected lifeline.

Pat’s missed a first-half penalty, while Shels finished with 10 men as Ali Coote lashed out with a late and high challenge on Ryan Sheridan shortly before full-time.

Sheridan’s arrival off the bench just after the hour refreshed a Pat’s attack that had huffed and puffed, but only had Lennon’s goal to show for their efforts.

It’s hard to overstate the impact that this talented 17-year-old has had for Stephen Kenny’s side.

Mix youthful exuberance and fearlessness with his talent in possession and ability to find a yard of space in the tightest of situations in the final third and you have got a genuinely thrilling prospect.

All that was good about Pat’s forward play in the final half-hour seemed to come through the Ireland Under-17 star.

But it wasn’t enough as their wastefulness cost them dearly.

Credit must also go to Shels keeper Eddie Beach, who produced a stunning save to deny Anthony Olusanya from close range in the fourth minute.

He was beaten by Aidan Keena’s 15th minute penalty, but the recently crowned Player of the Month aimed just too high and his spot-kick clipped the top of the bar.

That wasn’t the first time referee Paul Norton pointed to the spot. A few minutes earlier he penalised James Norris for a challenge on Kian Leavy, but was advised by his assistant to change his mind.

There was no second-guessing when Leavy was brought down by Kameron Ledwidge, but Keena spurned the opportunity.

Shels often looked to be the architects of their own downfall with poor passing and an inability to make the ball stick up the far end of the pitch.

And they looked set to pay when Lennon scored. He swept home Barry Baggley’s pull-back, through the legs of both defender Marco Untergrabner and goalkeeper Beach.

Olusanya should have made it 2-0 shortly after half-time, but he failed to make a clean connection with Elbouzedi’s low cross with the goal at his mercy.

Less than a minute later, Shels were level. Kelly played the perfect through-ball into the path of Moore and he slipped his shot under the advancing Joseph Anang.

Kelly then broke Pat’s hearts with his 84th minute winner.