Two acts of lunacy decided what was billed as the tie of the round as St Pat's overcame a eight-man Dundalk team at Oriel Park.

Dundalk's indiscipline cost them as Ciaran McGuigan, JJ Melligan and Garry Breen all saw Anthony Buttimer's red card.

McGuigan, deployed at right back threw both feet into a tackle on Ian Bermingham. Referee Anthony Buttimer did not think twice as he gave
the Lilywhites defender his marching orders on 42 minutes.

Having previously been booked for diving – in the tenth minute – Melligan was walking on a tight-rope. He threw all caution to
the wind when he gestured to the Pat's fans with his fingers, earning him a straight red after referee's assistant Mark Douglas flagged the
incident on the stroke of half time.

With that, Pat's pushed on searching for a winner as Dundalk threw their bodies at every shot and cross. Peter Cherrie was left looking
at his goal frame three times as Alex Williams sent a shot crashing  off the post.

Conor Kenna was next to find the woodwork as his bullet header shaved the crossbar and when Ryan Guy sent a scintillating drive back off the
post, it looked as though Dundalk were going to hang on for a  incredible result.

However, the cruelty of football was on display as substitute Brian Cash rose above the Dundalk defence in the last minute of normal time
to head home the winning goal for Pat's.

With four minutes of injury time, there was still more time for some theatrics and Garry Breen certainly provided the entertainment as he became Dundalk's third man to be sent off for an off-the-ball incident.

DUNDALK: Cherrie; McGuigan, Breen, Miller, Hatswell; Maher, Cawley;
McGowan (Kelly 60mins), Melligan, Gaynor; Kuduzovic (Mulvenna 84mins).
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Lynch (Haverty 90mins), Kenna, Guthrie,
Bermingham, (Cash 51mins); Guy, Byrne, Mulcahy, Doyle; Williams (P
Byrne, 73mins) Faherty.
REFEREE: Anthony Buttimer (Cork).