Stunning first-half strikes from Brandon Miele and Trevor Clarke earned Shamrock Rovers a 2-0 derby win over Bohemians at a sold-out Dalymount Park on Friday night.
Miele silenced the sizeable home support with an expertly-taken first-time strike after just six minutes and Clarke doubled the lead with an even more impressive finish just before the half-hour.
It was a fiery clash that, typical of this fixture, occasionally spilled over into anger but it was the Hoops who displayed all the quality going forward and deserved the victory.
Bohemians manager Keith Long made three changes from the side that lost 2-0 to Derry last week with captain Derek Pender and top scorer Dinny Corcoran returning from injury.
Rovers boss Stephen Bradley brought winger Miele in as a like-for-like switch for Darren Meenan, who was sent off late in the 2-1 win over Dundalk seven days ago.
And it took the Tallaght man just six minutes to make his mark as, after seeing a header saved by Bohs keeper Supple, he popped up moments later to open the scoring.
Graham Burke found himself in space on the right-hand side of the box and he pulled the ball back behind Gary Shaw for Miele, who finished wonderfully despite a crunching tackle from Rob Cornwall.
Bohs could have responded within three minutes as Lorcan Fitzgerald drilled in a free kick to the middle of the area and Ian Morris had a free header, but he caught the ball too flush and couldn't direct it close to the target.
The game swung on a whirlwind 30 seconds on 25 minutes when Kaleem Simon's left-wing cross landed in the path of Kavanagh, who should have score with the goal at his mercy from eight yards but swung at fresh air.
Rovers broke quickly and decisively and Trevor Clarke picked up the ball wide on the right, cut in on his stronger left foot and smashed a shot from the edge of the area that left the sprawling Supple with next to no chance.
Clarke was almost away again as he dispossessed Pender only to be brilliantly reined in by Fuad Sule before tempers spilled over and Kavanagh was booked for a late tackle on Miele and David McAllister saw yellow for clipping Simon.
Bohs' Ian Morris was taking every opportunity to fling long throws into the box and, for the most part, Rovers found them tougher to deal with than set pieces, and Oscar Brennan volleyed over from one such throw six minutes after the break.
Just after the hour, Brennan went closer with a shot that was deflected wide and, from the resulting corner, Dan Byrne forced a save from Chencinski.
The result leaves Bradley's side level on points with fourth-placed Derry City in the table, while the Gypsies slip into the bottom three following St Patrick's Athletic's win over Drogheda United.
Bohemians: Shane Supple; Derek Pender (Dylan Hayes 70), Dan Byrne, Rob Cornwall, Lorcan Fitzgerald; Ian Morris, Oscar Brennan, Fuad Sule, Patrick Kavanagh, Kaleem Simon (Jamie Doyle 70); Dinny Corcoran.
Shamrock Rovers: Tomer Chencinski; Simon Madden, David Webster, Roberto Lopes, Luke Byrne; David McAllister, Ronan Finn, Brandon Miele (Sean Boyd 76), Trevor Clarke; Graham Burke, Gary Shaw (Michael O'Connor 90+3).
