Lee Devitt scored the pick of the goals as First Division Treaty United clinically punished sloppy defending to get their name into the hat for Tuesday's FAI Cup quarter-final draw.
Defeat was harsh on Leinster Senior League side Maynooth, who were the better team for large parts of the game but couldn’t find a way past Conor Winn at John Hyland Park, Baldonnell.
Maynooth, who stunned Cobh Ramblers in the shock of the second round at the same venue last year, started confidently, coming close to punishing some lax play by Treaty on eight minutes.
The Limerick side’s Stephen Christopher gave the ball away cheaply to Callum Warfield who put Paddy O’Sullivan away on the right to cross. Winn guarded his right-hand post well to parry winger Jackson Ryan’s shot.
The LSL side troubled Treaty again on 20 minutes. Dean O'Shea picked out O’Sullivan whose pull-back was fired over the top by right-back Dylan Pierce.
It was 28 minutes before a somewhat disjointed Treaty threatened, Joe Collins sending a 30-yard effort past a post.
Three minutes later, Tommy Barrett’s Shannonsiders were ahead out of nothing.
Paul Concannon gave the ball away some 40 yards from his own goal. Treaty skipper Enda Curran pounced to run on and shoot past Shane Fagan.
Maynooth responded positively, O’Sullivan’s clever feet working an opening before his drive was tipped over the top by Winn. From O'Shea's corner, Callum Warfield powered a header narrowly wide at the back post.
Treaty wasted a glorious chance to double their lead five minutes into the second half when awarded a penalty after Maynooth skipper Conor Dunne tripped Conor Melody; Fagan diving the right way to parry Curran’s poor spot kick.
Town kept playing, O’Sullivan curling a shot just over before Sean Traynor skilfully made space to bring a good parry save from Winn.
But the non-league side were undone by another sucker-punch on 73 minutes.
Dean George’s cross wasn’t cleared, allowing Colin Conroy, just on the pitch, to back heel the ball to fellow sub Willie Armshaw to shoot home from close in.
And while Winn was required to make another fine save when tipping O’Sullivan's low shot round a post, Treaty struck for the goal of the game on 84 minutes.
It was all the work of Devitt who showed terrific feet to slalom past several challenges and rifle his shot to the roof of the net.
Maynooth University Town: Shane Fagan; Dylan Pierce (Conor Delahunty 88), Conor Dunne, Alex Fitzgibbon, Dean O’Shea; Sean Traynor (Lewis McKeown 78), Paul Concannon (Sven Biansumba 66); Paddy O’Sullivan (Cian Kvanagh 88), Evan Murphy, Jackson Ryan; Callum Warfield (Jack Reynolds 78).
Treaty United: Conor Winn; Sean Guerins, Mark Walsh, Lee Devitt; Conor Melody (Colin Conroy 72), Darren Collins (Willie Armshaw h-t), Callum McNamara, Joe Collins (Martin Coughlan 72), Stephen Christopher; Enda Curran (Success Edogun 77), Dean George (Matt Keane 77).
Referee: Alan Patchell (Dublin)
Elsewhere, Wassium Aouachria bagged a brace as Waterford were 6-0 winners at another LSL side, Malahide United, who had beaten St Pat's in the first round.
Shane Griffin opened the scoring for the visitors, who dethroned holders St Pat's in round one, at Gannon Park in the seventh minute.
Roland Idowu and Aouachria's first made it 3-0 before the quarter hour and Phoenix Patterson ensured the Blues took a four-goal lead into half-time.
Darragh Power added a fifth in the 78th minute before Aouachria got his second in injury-time.
Waterford and Treaty United join Shelbourne, Bohemians, Dundalk, Derry City and UCD in the quarter-final shake-up, with Shamrock Rovers or Drogheda completing the line-up tomorrow.
Chris McCann has recovered from injury for the league leaders, who travel to Head In The Game Park three days after beating Ferencvaros at Tallaght Stadium.
