Damien Duff's hopes of a fairytale start to management were dashed as St Pat’s fans taunted him with chants of ‘sacked in the morning’.
The Ireland legend was at the peak of his playing powers in England during the 2000s when this particular derby regularly packed out Tolka Park and set pulses racing.
But on the day when Shels signalled their plans to buy the old ground from the council, just 4,150 was deemed a sellout in a ground in desperate need of some TLC.
Of course, all eyes were on Duff who was hoping to get off to a flyer but in the end was slapped with a reality check even if the scoreline was flattering to the FAI Cup holders.
Darragh Burns scored a sensational opener against the run of play before Mark Doyle doubled the Saints lead and Jay McClelland book-ended it at the death.
It sparked the lively away following to serenade Duff with their jibes about getting the chop and a swift return to the First Division.
But Duff saw enough in his team’s performance to know there will be better nights ahead as the hosts could have been at least two goals up before that Burns strike.
Jack Moylan was their brightest spark and it’s not hard to see why he’s rated so highly. On another night he’d have had a hat-trick and Duff might have been celebrating.
It only took 47 seconds for the assistant referee to tick Duff off about stepping outside his area. And 30 seconds after that he thought he was off to a dream start.
Dan Carr performed his trademark summersault after slotting home in a crowded box to spark wild scenes at Tolka, only for Rob Hennessey to deem Moylan offside.
But Shels had their tails up and ought to have been ahead before Burns’ wonder strike on 19 minutes.
Moylan was a terror. First he fluffed a close range header and then he dragged a shot narrowly wide after Shels’ tenacious press reaped rewards.
Snapped up from Bohs after an impressive loan spell at Wexford last year, Moylan then couldn’t connect cleanly with a shot in space which Joseph Anang mopped up.
St Pat’s were second best up to that point and yet they changed the narrative with Burns’ brilliance.
Hawkins carelessly coughed up possession and Burns couldn’t believe the gift, but he had work to do.
Jinking inside Mark Coyle’s covering challenge, Burns now had the goal in his sights and unleashed an unstoppable 20-yard drive high into Lewis Webb’s net.
The Saints fans, housed in the new-look terrace at the Ballybough End, taunted Duff with those chants of ‘getting sacked in the morning’.
The goal was a slap in the face for Shels who had signalled their intent, but it was just the jolt the Saints needed.
And Burns could have doubled the lead eight minutes before the break, but his low shot squirmed a yard wide of Webb’s far post.
But Shels refused to lie down and with Duff’s rallying call fresh in the mind, they started the second-half like they did the first.
Carr stabbed a shot at West Ham keeper Anang from Conor Kane’s deep cross while Carr turned provider for Hawkins moments later, but Anang was well positioned again.
And yet none of it mattered, as St Pat’s delivered a second and decisive sucker punch on the hour.
Mark Coyle, whose influence waned after a bright start, played a poor pass back to Aaron O’Driscoll which was intercepted by Mark Doyle.
And the forward showed tremendous determination to slalom in on goal and beat Webb all too easily at his near post.
Moylan and Jordan McEneff went close to salvaging something late on for Shels, but in keeping with the night, Duff’s men were caught out again.
Mark Doyle teed up Jay McClelland to finish at close range to leave Duff with plenty to ponder as the Saints fans rubbed it in with chants sang ‘Damo, Damo give us a wave’.
And after the full time whistle, Shels boss Damien Duff said: “’Im glad it’s over and we can move on with the rest of the season. The lads are devastated in there.
"They won the game in transition, counter-attack football. It’s what we warned them about. It was our mistakes really.
"I thought we created an awful lot but couldn’t take our opportunities.”
Player Ratings
Shelbourne
Webb 6
Aaron O’Driscoll 6
Luke Byrne 6
Shane Griffin 5
John Ross Wilson 6
Aodh Dervin 6
Mark Coyle 6
Conor Kane 6
Daniel Hawkins 6
Jack Moylan 7
Dan Carr 6
Subs: Kameron Ledwidge (for Griffin, 25), Jordan McEneff (for Carr, 62), Stanley Anaebonam (for Hawkins 62), Brain McManus (for Dervin 86), Shane Farrell (for Moylan, 87)
Subs not used: Brendan Clarke, Jad Hakiki, Adam Thomas, David Toure.
St Patrick's Athletic
Joseph Anang 7
Jack Scott 6
Joe Redmond 6
James Abankwah 7
Anto Breslin 6
Jamie Lennon 6
Chris Forrester 7
Darragh Burns 8
Billy King 6
Mark Doyle 8
Eoin Doyle 7
Subs: Jason McClelland (for King, 65), Tom Grivosti (for Scott, 75), Adam O’Reilly (for Burns, 86)
Subs not used: David Odumosu, Ian Bermingham, Ben McCormack, Sam Curtis, Adam Murphy, Tundi Owolabi.
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