Waterford United had hoped to achieve their first win of the season against newly-promoted Dublin City but the Vikings proved to be the stronger side and plundered all three points from the RSC with a 1-0 victory.
City broke the deadlock four minutes into the second half with a delightful goal from David Freeman, his fourth strike of the campaign to date.
Robbie Hedderman began the move when he won the ball from James Chambers in the middle of the pitch and delivered a pin-point pass to Freeman out on the wing. The striker cut in sharply from the left and, on the run, unleashed a weighted lob that soared over the head of advancing goalkeeper Jimmy Fyffe.
Enthused by the goal, City moved up a gear and Freeman almost doubled his tally on the hour when his shot from a David McGill pass came back into play off the crossbar with the goalkeeper beaten.
However, United refused to panic and only a superb, acrobatic save by Gary Rogers prevented them from equalising in the 71st. minutes.
Substitute Gavin Doyle broke from midfield and skilfully threaded the ball through for Darryl Kavanagh but his blistering shot from 16 yards was turned out by the goalkeeper for a corner.
Both sides had opportunities to open their account in the first half but no player appeared confident or positive enough to apply the clinical touch required.
Kavanagh was on target for United from the edge of the area on 12 minutes but his shot lacked venom and goalkeeper Rogers saved comfortably.
On 14 minutes, City's Ger McCarthy dispossessed Pat Flynn and released the ball to Freeman who let fly from close range. Fyffe fumbled his first attempt and the ball trickled through his legs but he turned quickly and dived full-length to regain possession on the line.
Four minutes later, Chambers played the ball forward from midfield and, following a mistake by Stuart Malcolm, Ian Fraher found himself with the goal at his mercy but Rogers raced off his line and blocked the ball out for a corner.
Five minutes before the interval, McGill and Freeman worked a nice move down the left wing to carve out an opening for Mark Rooney but the alert Fyffe turned the ball out for a corner.
