Ryan Graydon scored a stoppage time winner to lift Derry City back up to second place in the Premier Division table as Shelbourne’s dogged defence just couldn’t hold out at Tolka Park.
With goalkeeper Brendan Clarke inspired and his rearguard holding solid, Damien Duff Dubliners looked like they would earn a battling point.
But with the watch into the 91st minute, Derry skipper Patrick McEleney threaded a ball through for the run of winger Graydon whose drive took a cruel deflection off Shelbourne captain Luke Byrne to finally beat the wrong-footed Clarke.