Late goals from Gerard Rowe and Tadhg Purcell gave Shamrock Rovers their due reward with a 2-0 win over Waterford United at Tolka Park.
The Hoops are now just three points behind leaders Drogheda United and leapfrog Bohemians back to third in the Premier Division table.
Blues frustrated Rovers for much of the game before caving in on 81 minutes.
David Cassidy raced away down the right to send over a super cross and Rowe finally beat Dean Delaney with a header.
Rovers doubled their winning margin from the penalty spot on 86 minutes, but needed the intervention of referee's assistant Mark Douglas to do so.
Referee Declan Hanney initially gave a free-kick just outside the area after a foul by Blues' left-back Robbie Hedderman on Cassidy.
But Douglas flagged and insisted it was inside the area. Hanney changed his mind and Purcell confidently sent Delaney the wrong way from the spot for his tenth goal of the season.
Blues battled away and hit the bar from skipper David Breen's header on 53 minutes, but otherwise it was all Rovers.
Shamrock Rovers: S. O'Brien (McGuinness, 38 mins.); G. O'Brien, Ferguson, Lawrence, Clarke; Martin (Cassidy, 55 mins.), D. McGill, Danny O'Connor, Tyrrell; Purcell, Myler (Rowe, 63 mins.).
Waterford United: Delaney; Flynn, Browne, Breen, Hedderman; Kiely (Brosnan, 57 mins.), Lordan, Scully, McCarthy, Bermingham; Sullivan.
Referee: Declan Hanney (Dublin).
