Cobh Ramblers came through a war of attrition with Galway United and got a 1-1 draw with 10 men against Galway United at St Colman's Park.
The home side went into the game looking for their fifth consecutive win and they had a dream start when Pierce Philips scored after just two minutes.
It was all going according to plan until David Hurley went down inside the penalty area at the end of the first half.
The midfielder, who came through the Cobh Ramblers academy, sent Lee Steacy the wrong way and equalised with just seconds left before the break.
These two moments decided a game fought between two teams desperate not to give anything away as they enter the run in for promotion to the Premier Division.
John Caulfield’s team, standard-bearers this season, had the majority of possession and their cause was helped by Darragh O’Sullivan Connell’s dismissal in the second half.
This actually emboldened the Ramblers and gave them a sense of initiative that had not been seen since Cian Browne set up Liam Kervick in the second minute. He used this ball to set up Pierce and the midfielder fired through a chaotic penalty area and in.
The Ramblers tried to score a second goal after this, and Tiernan O’Brien headed wide while looking at the Liam McMahon Stand.
The best chance that Galway created during this spell came from a Hurley free-kick and Maurice Nugent put this wide.
This had no effect on the confidence that Cobh were playing with as they went straight up the pitch and Kervick narrowly missed the target.
Once things slowed down, Galway wrestled control of the pace of the game from Cobh and this was a turning point.
The Tribesmen ended up with all the possession and created a multitude of chances, with the first one coming from a Conor McCormack corner which Conor O’Keeffe headed wide.
Then Stephen Walsh connected with a cross that Edward McCarthy and the ball ended up going across the face of goal.
When Cobh tried to break, Tiernan O’Brien picked out an unmarked Kervick inside the area and he missed.
Then Hurley went down and the referee pointed to the spot. The midfielder converted and Galway equalised in the final seconds of the first half.
Galway came out from the break and Walsh broke the ball down at the back post, but no one was there to turn it in.
As Cobh patched themselves together to stop Galway breaking, O’Sullivan Connell brought down Wassim Aouachria and received a straight red card.
The Tribesmen were all over Cobh in the time that remained, and were denied through frantic defending from the home side.
Cobh Ramblers: Lee Steacy; Michael McCarthy, Cian Browne, Justin Eguaibor, Charlie Lyons, Pierce Philips, Jake Hegarty (Matthew McKevitt 66), Darragh O'Sullivan Connell, Liam Kervick (Alec Byrne 66), Dale Holland, Tiernan O'Brien (Luke Desmond 84).
Galway United: Brendan Clarke; Conor O’Keeffe (Aodh Dervin 75), Rob Slevin (Regan Donelan 86), Killian Brouder, Maurice Nugent, Stephen Walsh (Robert Manley 80), Vincent Borden (Ronan Manning 45), Francley Lomboto, Conor McCormack, Edward McCarthy (Wassim Aouachria 45).
Referee: Declan Tolland
Elsewhere in the First Division, Waterford missed out on the chance to make up ground on Galway as they drew 2-2 with Longford Town.
Roland Idowu got Waterford off to the perfect start when he scored after just six minutes but that goal was cancelled out by Gary Armstrong 12 minutes later before Ronan Coughlan quickly reestablished the home side's lead.
Giles Phillips saw red as he conceded a penalty early in the second half which Beineon O'Brien Whitmarsh converted for a share of the spoils.
Athlone Town eased to a big 4-1 victory over Wexford FC. Jamar Campion-Hinds, Frantz Pierrot, Valeriy Dolya and Matthew Leal were all on the mark for Athlone, with Aaron Dobbs' goal proving to be Wexford's only response.
Treaty United came out on top in a 3-2 thriller with Kerry, recovering after Sean McGrath gave the home side the lead in the first minute.
Mark Ludden, Dean George and Enda Curran all scored in response for Treaty and a 90th minute Leonardo Gaxha goal proved only to be a consolation for Kerry.
In the night's other game, Finn Harps and Bray Wanderers played out a scoreless draw.
