Late Evan Caffrey goal sees Damien Duff's Shels beat Stephen Kenny's St Pat's

If this is what the League of Ireland wants to offer in a world in which Damien Duff and Stephen Kenny hog its headlines, bring it on.

A stunning left-footed strike six minutes into injury time from substitute Evan Caffrey – consistent with the confidence of a kick-around rather than a critical goal in a title race – decided a game that will live long in the memory.

This was feisty, absorbing, peppered with quality and succeeding in carrying the weight of expectation that precedes a big league game these days, with a stunning Jake Mulraney free-kick cancelling out a fine Seán Boyd header before Caffrey's goal.

Sharing of the honours seemed a reasonable outcome on the balance – but Caffrey discarded the script.

That Will Jarvis was controversially forced to retire prematurely was no help whatsoever to the visitors, who thereafter looked in need of an insurance second goal but would later seemingly be holding on for a point – and a decent one at that against a fully committed Saints side.

However, composed Caffrey ensured Shels stretched their lead right at the death with a sumptuous strike, preceding a manic celebration from Duff, with Shels goalkeeping coach Paul Skinner consequently seeing red.

The Reds fans, needless to add, engaged in such mania as befits one of the biggest wins in Duff's managerial career.

Monday night fare after Friday fixtures can veer into anodyne territory, but there was never any threat of that, nor of anyone leaving before the final whistle.

The league feels like it is on a special journey and nights like this remind us of how far it has come. For Kenny and Duff, it is the only show in town – and for any number of us besides.

Any number, too, of money shots before a ball was kicked. The clear