There was much satisfaction for Damien Duff in seeing his Shelbourne side strike at the death in taking the three points on offer against St Pat's Athletic at Richmond Park on Monday evening.
With Derry City falling to a 1-0 defeat at Shamrock Rovers, Shels are now four points clear at the summit of the Premier Division, with another away assignment to come at Tallaght Stadium on Friday.
A stunning left-footed strike six minutes into injury time from substitute Evan Caffrey gave Duff's troops victory by the banks of the Camac, this after Jake Mulraney's free-kick cancelled out a fine Sean Boyd header before Caffrey's goal.
The execution of the two goals certainly delighted the former Chelsea and Ireland star, as he added: "There aren't many better eye-catching sights in football than a beautiful cross and an aggressive header. It was an amazing goal and our second goal was an amazing goal.
"They got back in the game in the second half with Mulraney's quality. I called them over straight away, we were clam and we reset. I told the lads a win is all the sweeter when you get a last-minute win.
"The guys had a little celebration and a hug but it's all about being calm and recover now for Friday."
For Boyd, it's now four goals in four games for the Shels attacker, with his manager quick to pay tribute.
"He is a top striker. He has come off two very serious injuries so we have to manage Sean and keep him fit. To score four in four games, not many players do that in their career and long may it continue."
Duff also applauded the contribution of the substitutes he sent on - Dean Williams, Tyreke Wilson and Evan Caffrey - who were all involved in the winning goal.
"The three subs that came on were brilliant, that's what the bench is all about and you could argue it's the bench that won us the game.
"Dean got on the outside and Tyreke went inside him. Evan will be disappointed with his first touch; he has that chop and lockdown and it was an amazing, amazing finish."
Duff's opposite number Stephen Kenny praised the efforts of his new charges, while opining that the team are some way off the best in the division.
"I thought the players were terrific tonight," he said. "They're not at the level of the top teams at the moment, but they showed a lot of character.
"When they went an early goal down, they controlled a lot of the first half, without having too many chances.
"I asked the players at half-time, 'how many chances did Shelbourne have?' They'd only had one and we were one down.
"We had to kind of wrestle back momentum and, to be honest, Shelbourne controlled a lot of the second half and were keeping possession, and we were struggling to get it back for a little period.
"Then we had the two substitutes, Alex Turner and Mason Melia, young players.
"They showed their dribbling ability and that really shifted the momentum of the game, I felt."
Jake Mulraney's superb 73rd-minute free-kick got the home side back into the game and Kenny revealed the 28-year-old has long been a player on his radar.
"He's a terrific talent and maybe he hasn't been having the best time, but he's not been in the team," the Saints boss said.
"When I was Ireland manager, we were looking at him when he was at Atlanta.
"He was playing in front of 60,000 for Atlanta in the MLS.
"He was doing well, but it's been up and down for him since he's come home, but I think he's a brilliant talent and your job is to utilise that."
Next up, St Pat's make the short trip to Dalymount Park to face Bohemians as they bid to avoid a third defeat in a week, with Kenny aware that the odds are against them.
"We've a few missing as well now," he lamented. "But it's a rebuilding situation here. It's good to get an assessment of the players, but we need to pick up points as well.
"It's a big game, but it was a tremendous effort tonight, really good play.
"The players can take encouragement from that and learn from conceding that late winner.
"They've lost a lot of tight games this year and we'll have to address that."
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