Shelbourne remain eight points clear at the Premier Division summit after they and Derry City cancelled each other out in a scrappy stalemate at Tolka Park.
The boom might have been back in the stands with Bertie Ahern leading the presence of ex-Irish leaders alongside Stephen Kenny, but on the pitch, this was a lacklustre affair that neither side deserved to win.
Both sides were guilty of being shot shy in a rather forgettable encounter as Derry were held scoreless for the second successive game with just one shot on target across their last two outings.
Damien Duff's Shels side had been amongst the goals in each of their opening seven games this season and although they drew a blank for the first time this term, bringing their six-game winning streak to an end, they remain unbeaten.
A packed house of just under 4000 greeted the teams to a wall of noise with Mauro Picotto's Stadium blaring around Tolka but the atmosphere fell flat during a rigid first half.
A tight contest threatened to spark into life midway through the first half as Will Jarvis went on one of his trademark silky runs but his shot from close range was blocked.
Shelbourne goalkeeper Conor Kearns gets a hand to the ball ahead of Derry sub Danny Mullen
Derry finished the half the stronger side and Ronan Boyce had the best chance of the game but his left-footed effort at the back post sliced harmlessly wide.
Ruaidhri Higgins’ charges created a flurry of half chances with Paul McMullan and Pat Hoban seeing headers sail over Conor Kearn’s crossbar while Shelbourne rather botched a three v two counterattack from a corner.
There was little to separate the sides for much of the second half and it took over 15 minutes for a meaningful piece of action when Derry substitute Danny Mullen’s smart effort fell wide of the post.
As the clock ticked into the final 20 minutes, Will Patching’s free-kick took a wicked deflection off the Shels’ wall and went narrowly wide.
Substitutions and stoppages for head injuries only added to the stagnant nature of the game with both sides seeing attacks peter out and neither goalkeeper having a save to make.
Former Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny was an interested spectator
The best of the second half entertainment was brought by Duff who was incensed by some of the decisions he felt were going against his team.
Cameron McJannet spurned a great opportunity at the death after Kearns made a hash of what appeared to be an aimless ball over the top, and Derry will have to be content with a point which ends their run of back-to-back defeats.
Shelbourne: Conor Kearns, Sean Gannon, Tyreke Wilson, JJ Lunney, Matty Smith (John Martin 64), John O’Sullivan, Gavin Molloy, Evan Caffrey (Shane Farrell 61), Paddy Barrett, Will Jarvis (Sean Boyd 81), Liam Burt (Kameron Ledwidge 81).
Derry City: Brian Maher, Ronan Boyce (Sam Todd 88), Ciaran Coll, Mark Connolly, Michael Duffy, Will Patching, Pat Hoban (Danny Mullen 46), Paul McMullan (Daniel Kelly 75), Cameron McJannet, Shane McEleney, Adam O’Reilly.
Referee: Eoghan O'Shea.
