The pendulum swung wildly between these great rivals on a night when Pat Hoban’s late miss ensured the goalkeepers came out on top.
The Dundalk striker scored his 100th league goal for the club on Friday but passed up the chance to win this with the last kick of the game.
When Greg Sloggett squared the ball to Hoban in the box - and in space - there wasn’t a Dundalk fan still sitting.
Oriel Park rose in unison, ready to celebrate, only for Hoban to blaze over from around the penalty spot.
Considering the shift the Galway man has put in for this club over the years, they won’t hold it against him of course.
But the haunted look on Hoban’s face said it all.
It left goalkeepers Nathan Shepperd and Leon Pohls as the heroes, having pulled off remarkable saves to deny Aaron Greene and Hoban before that miss.
But on balance, a share of the prize was a fair result as both sides failed to capitalise on their respective spells of dominance.
Dundalk were all over the champions in a first-half show of strength and yet they took their foot off the Hoop’s throat to allow their rivals dominate much of the second.
The point is Rovers’ first on the road this season but they also slip to fourth with results elsewhere while Dundalk hover over the shoulders after a fifth draw in six.
Dundalk were without their Player of the Month Steven Bradley, denying those in the Shed of an obvious chant.
And the visitors started with Pohls in goal as Alan Mannus was struggling with illness.
And although Pohls thwarted Hoban with a good save on the half hour, he was targeted repeatedly by the hosts and Robbie Benson, in particular.
His slew of first-half corners kicks caused the German plenty of bother - but it was character building as he grew into the game.
Rovers struggled throughout that period and just never got going.
Dundalk’s two strikers, Hoban and John Martin, kept Sean Hoare, Pico Lopes and Lee Grace occupied throughout.
And when Pohls dropped an early Dan Williams cross, the Oriel crowd were convinced that Benson had scored with a hooked volley only for it to fizz just wide.
Although Richie Towell brought a flying save from Shepperd, Dundalk were well on top at that stage.
Pohls’ low save to deny Hoban from a Benson corner was top notch though and Mark Connolly's point blank header from another Benson floater was hacked off the line.
The home fans were enjoying it. And they were loving Keith Ward’s attempts to wind up Jack Byrne.
The Ireland international had the Dundalk sub - out warming up - in his ear while preparing to take a free-kick near the Lilywhites bench. Every little counts.
And yet for all their pressure, Dundalk just couldn’t score. And the longer they went without, the more confidence Rovers gained after their sluggish start.
Sheppered saved well with his feet to deny Mandroiu on a purposeful run into the box in the second-half..
And when Burke sprayed a low ball across the face of goal, the large travelling support were crying out for Byrne, Mandroiu or Andy Lyons to finish.
Still, it was better from the champions who then rocked the crossbar from Towell while Burke drilled a curling shot Shepperd.
And the Dundalk goalkeeper wasn’t finished there as he pulled off a sublime flying save to keep out Greene’s downward header with 15 to go.
But Pohls wanted a slice of the action too and his acrobatic save to deny Hoban from six yards was every bit as good as his counterpart’s effort.
And Oriel thought that Hoban would win it at the death, but for once the sharpshooter misfired.
DUNDALK: Shepperd 8; Macari 7, Connolly 7, Boyle 7, Bone 7; Benson 7, Williams 7 (McMillan 88), Sloggett 7, Adams 6 (Ward 75); Martin 7, Hoban 7.
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Pohls 7; Hoare 6, Lopes 6, Grace 6; Cotter 6 (Farrugia 75), Towell 7, O’Neill 6, Lyons 7; Byrne 6 (Greene 68), Burke 7 (Gaffney 75); Mandroiu 7 (Emakhu 89)
Referee: D MacGraith
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