Tom O’Halloran scored a stoppage time equaliser to deprive leaders Shelbourne of a ninth win on the spin.

Colin O’Brien latched onto Richie Baker's cross to shoot Shels into a 21st minute lead.

Shels appeared to be cruisning on 32 minutes when David McAllister headed home Anto Flood’s cross from the right to double their lead.

But it began to go wrong for Shels two minutes before the break when skipper Damien Brennan was sent off for dissent towards cork referee Keith Callanan.

Substitute Noel McGee got Town back into the game on 79 minutes when tapping home after Austin Skelly headed the ball back across goal.

O’Halloran then snatched Athlone’s point in the fourth minute of added time. Collecting David Tyrrell’s short corner, O’Halloran’s cross-cum shot deceived Shels' keeper Dean Delaney to sail over his head and end up in the net.