Kerr McInroy scored a late late winner as Shelbourne came from two goals down to beat Bohemians in a pulsating Dublin derby at Dalymount Park.
Despite running up a 2-0 lead inside 21 minutes with goals from Ross Tierney and Jordan Flores, before John Martin pulled a goal back, it all fell apart for Bohemians in the dying minutes as Shelbourne refused to lie down.
First Harry Wood equalised on 87 minutes when meeting McInroy's diagonal cross to find the net with a downward header.
Then, in the seventh minute of added time, midfield anchor McInroy, rested from the start before coming off the bench for the second half, latched onto a rebounded shot by Mipo Odubeko to rifle a volley past Kacper Choazka from some 35 yards and completely turn the game on its head.
The result means Joey O’Brien’s out-going champions secure third place in the table at least, and guarantee European football next season.
They could yet also catch second-placed Derry City, who beat Shamrock Rovers to remain two points ahead, with next Saturday’s final round of games to come.
Shelbourne host St Patrick’s Athletic while Derry go to Cork City.
It was a collapse that was hard to take for the Bohemians faithful, who vented their anger at the final whistle.
The Gypsies remain fifth in the table, behind St Pat’s on goal difference ahead of their final match away to Drogheda United, who also have 51 points.
And a fourth-place finish will only get European football on condition that Shamrock Rovers beat Cork in the FAI Cup final.
While Bohs were unchanged from Monday’s 0-0 draw with St Patrick’s Athletic, Shelbourne boss O’Brien opted to make five changes from their trip to North Macedonia in the Conference League last Thursday.
More in need of a win, not least in front of their home fans for the last time this season, Bohemians started on the front foot and duly took a deserved lead from their second corner of the game on 17 minutes.
Dayle Rooney’s delivery was headed back across goal by Flores and Leigh Kavanagh nodded it down for Tierney to scoop the ball home.
Slow to get into the game, Shelbourne were undone from another corner four minutes later.
Again Rooney’s ball into the area was on the money. Flores rose to meet it with a firm header that JJ Lunney could only help into the net.
Working hard to get into their stride, Shelbourne finally did so with a fine goal back on 35 minutes from their first incisive attack of the game.
Dan Kelly was the architect with a fine solo run through midfield. The winger then flicked a clever pass through for striker Martin, who turned and shot confidently to the corner of Kacper Chorazka’s net.
The sides swapped big chances in end-to-end action before half time. Shels' skipper Paddy Barrett had a header cleared off the line by Tierney at one end before Bohs' captain Dawson Devoy saw Kelly do likewise at the other end.
McInroy was introduced in one of two changes at half-time as Shels looked to add more creativity to their midfield.
And they were almost level on 61 minutes, Odubeko laying the ball off for the run of Wood, whose deflected shot was brilliantly touched over the bar by Chorazka.
But the Yorkshireman wasn’t to be denied when popping up late on to head Shels level before Scot McInroy’s glorious late winner deep in added time.
Bohemians: Kacper Chorazka; Niall Morahan, Leigh Kavanagh, Cian Byrne, Jordan Flores (John Mountney h-t); Adam McDonnell (Keith Buckley 61), Dawson Devoy; Dayle Rooney, Ross Tierney, Connor Parsons (Douglas James-Taylor 61); James Clarke.
Shelbourne: Wessel Speel; Sean Gannon, Lewis Temple (Milan Mbeng h-t), Paddy Barrett, Kameron Ledwidge (James Norris 82); Jack Henry-Francis (Evan Caffrey 73), JJ Lunney (Kerr McInroy h-t); Harry Wood, Ali Coote (Mipo Odubeko 58), Daniel Kelly; John Martin.
Referee: Rob Hennessy (Clare)
