Duff in dreamland as Barrett pounces for late Shels winner

Shelbourne 2 St Patrick’s Athletic 1 

Paddy Barrett scored a 90th minute winner as Shelbourne came from behind to deservedly win this captivating Dublin derby at Tolka Park.

Central defender Barrett met Harry Wood’s corner to power his header to the net from 16 yards for a massive first goal of the season Ten minutes earlier Euclides Da Silva Cabral, who would win the corner that led to the winner, proved an instant hit with the Shelbourne faithful when equalising with his first touch.

The 24-year-old Portuguese winger, signed on Wednesday, was sprung from the bench on 79 minutes as Shelbourne chased the game against ten men following Jay McGrath’s dismissal.

Within a minute, Barrett, Jack Moylan and Shane Farrell had worked the ball into the area where Cabral spun cleverly to flick the ball home. The result ended three defeats to St Pat’s this season to put a major dent in the Inchicore side’s title aspirations.

St Pat’s drop seven points behind champions Shamrock Rovers while Shelbourne consolidate fifth place to enhance their hopes of European qualification.

Unchanged from their win at Sligo Rovers last weekend, Shelbourne started on the front foot, carving a real chance on seven minutes.

Mark Coyle, their march winner at the Showgrounds, tenaciously won the ball off St Patrick’s Chris Forrester to find Will Jarvis who skipped across the face of the box before rifling high and wide.

Jarvis got another sight of goal just a minute later, on this occasion his shot lacked the venom to trouble Dean Lyness in the visitors’ goal.

Lyness was scarcely worked again from another flowing Shels counter on 11 minutes, Evan Caffrey’s tame effort bringing a comfortable save.

Shelbourne’s bright start counted for nothing, though, as