Moses Dyer scored a sublime brace as never-say-die Galway United twice came from behind to record a 2-2 draw against Shelbourne at Tolka Park.
It was the just the response manager John Caulfield wanted from his charges following Friday's 3-2 defeat at home to Derry City.
And they refused to lie down here at the home of the champions whom they held to a draw for the second time this season.
Shels had the dream start in the Drumcondra sunshine, powering into the lead after just 44 seconds.
It was route one stuff as James Norris sent a long ball forward down the inside left channel.
Mipo Odubeko controlled it superbly on his chest to get turned and pull the ball back for the unattended Ellis Chapman.
The Englishman took a touch before drilling a perfectly placed ball across Brendan Clarke into the far corner of the net for his first goal for the club.
In an exciting opening to the game, Galway were soon inches from levelling after poor defending at the other end.
Fine approach play involving Striker Stephen Walsh and Dyer set up Robbie Burns, who blasted a drive off the Shels’ crossbar.
Shelbourne regained their composure to own much of the ball, a fine save from Clarke preventing a doubling of their lead on 20 minutes.
Kerr McInroy’s incisive ball was sublimely touched through Norris for Odubeko, with Clarke standing up well to save with his feet.
Clarke was there again to gather a toe-poke from Odubeko as Shels carved the visitors’ defence open a little too easily once more.
If a trifle unsure at the back, Galway remained dangerous when they got forward, with Burns pouncing on a mistake by Evan Caffrey to drill his shot wide across goal before a sliding doors moment had Galway level on 38 minutes.
Firstly, Chapman was close to extending Shels’ lead when rattling the crossbar with a strike from distance.
Galway broke immediately with Vincent Borden feeding Dyer on the left. The Kiwi international cut inside Shels’ skipper Mark Coyle to then find the far top corner with a stunning finish off his right foot.
An enforced change at half-time saw Sean Gannon in for the injured Kameron Ledwidge as Shels had a good deal more about them from the resumption.
That said, it was Galway who kept finding openings on the counter, with Dyer rifling wide before Pat Hickey shaved the crossbar from another fine dead-ball delivery from Jimmy Keohane.
Shelbourne’s dominance of the ball looked to have finally paid off on 67 minutes when they regained the lead following an incisive attack.
Lunney, Harry Wood and Caffrey were invoked before a fortuitous touch of the ball off Burns put Odubeko in to finish calmly with a side-footer past Clarke.
But Galway never lay down and punished sloppiness at the back by Shels to equalise again on 82 minutes.
Coyle’s poor touch never found Gannon who had the ball nicked off his toe by Burns. Dyer pounced to get the ball onto his left foot and drive it to the roof of the net for another fantastic finish for his fifth goal of the season.
Shelbourne: Conor Kearns; Mark Coyle, Sam Bone, Cameron Ledwidge (Sean Gannon h-t); Evan Caffrey, Kerr McInroy, JJ Lunney, Ellis Chapman (Sean Boyd 68), James Norris; Alley Coote (Harry Wood 62); Mipo Odubeko.
Galway United: Brendan Clarke; Rob Slevin, Killian Brouder, Greg Cunningham (Regan Donelon76); Jimmy Keohane (Conor McCormack 89), Pat Hickey, David Hurley, Vincent Borden, Rob Burns; Moses Dyer, Stephen Walsh (Sean Kerrigan 76).
Referee: Paul Norton (Dublin).
