Ten-man Shelbourne fell to their second defeat of the UEFA Conference League group stages, losing to a deflected 57th-minute goal from Kosovo side FC Drita which landed a killer blow to their hopes of reaching the knockout phase.
While Alamir Ajzeraj's fortiutious goal ultimately settled the contest, the game's decisive moment happened much earlier, on the 16th minute, when James Norris was shown a straight red card for a foul on the striker.
Norris lost control of the ball and lunged at Ajzeraj on the halfway line leaving the Kosovan player rolling around on the ground clutching his ankle.
The Italian referee, Oliver Reitala, was alerted by VAR to the challenge and after a short look at the monitor, reached for the red and dismissed Norris.
Drita had sat back in the opening minutes, seeking to hit Shels on the counter, but they had early chance when Vesel Limaj fired his shot from outside the area straight at goalkeeper Wessel Speel.
Shels grew into the game with Milan Mbeng causing problems down the right side.
Harry Wood almost scored directly from a corner on 14 minutes, the ball improbably clipping off the inside of the near post and running across the six yard box.
Shortly after, Norris was banished and the terms of the game changed.
Their problems continued as Daniel Kelly then limped off four minutes later to be replaced by Kameron Ledwidge and the game was then halted momentarily as a supporter in the North Stand was attended to by paramedics.
The 10 men missed a glorious chance to take the lead after 35 minutes when Kerr McInroy floated a long ball towards Mipo Odubeko.
As the two retreating Drita centre halves fell over each other, the ball bounced kindly for the Shels striker, but with the keeper wrong-footed and the right half of the net beckoning, Odubeko rolled his side-foot effort wide.
It was one of the misses of the season, with the striker standing motionless in the aftermath.
Drita failed to make good of their numerical advantage and it was the League of Ireland side that came closest again before the interval with a free-kick from Harry Wood that just missed the angle of post and crossbar.
Just before the break, the Kosovan side forced their way into the game as Speel had to be alert to save a Pellumbi low shot at his near post and in added time Drita captain Rron Broja saw his header from a corner clip the bar to keep the game scoreless after seven minutes of added time.
Shels replaced captain Mark Coyle at half time with Lewis Temple and they came close to the breakthrough when a Wood corner was almost turned into his own net by Pellumbi.
The Reds' resistance though was finally broken in the 57th minute as Alzeraj, 25 yards from goal, hit an unimpressive shot which took two heavy deflections, first off JJ Lunney, and then even more wickedly off Ledwidge and dribbled agonisingly into the right corner with Speel helpless and stranded.
Drita should have doubled the advantage shortly afterwards when Manadou Soumahoro's diving header smothered on the line by Speel, while at the other end sub-John Martin, with his first touch, put a header over the bar from a Ledwidge cross.
Shels made a double substitution with just over 10 minutes remaining bringing on Evan Caffrey and Ali Coote, with the former immediately drawing a double save from Maloku.
Fellow substitute Martin went close after being set up by Mbang as Joey O’Brien’s side desperately sought the equaliser that never arrived.
Shelbourne now travel to the Netherlands to face AZ Alkmaar later this month in their fourth outing of the group stages, still searching for their first victory.
Shelbourne: Wessel Speel; Milan Mbeng, Paddy Barrett, Mark Coyle © (Lewis Temple 45), James Norris Daniel Kelly (Kameron Ledwidge 20); Jack Henry Francis (Evan Caffrey 78), Kian McInroy, JJ Lunney (John Martin 63), Harry Wood (Ali Coote 78), Ademipo Odubeko.
FC Drita: Falon Maloku; Egzon Bejtual, Jorgo Pellumbi, Blerton Shelji; Besnik Krasniqi, Manadou Soumahoro (Kristal Abazaj 71), Rron Broja © (Illor Mustafa 81) Vesel Limaj, Raddy Ovouka; Albert Dabiqaj, Alamir Ajzeraj (Mike Arthur 92)
Referee: Oliver Reitala (Italy)
