Dinny Corcoran scored in injury time to earn Bohemians their first win since the opening day and condemn bottom-placed Bray Wanderers to a sixth straight defeat.
Daniel Kelly had given Bray a surprise lead within three minutes only for Ian Morris to level with a speculative shot from distance almost immediately following the restart.
Bohemians welcomed back striker Dinny Corcoran after he missed the draw with Sligo Rovers last Friday and Monday's defeat to Cork City, but captain Derek Pender missed out.
As fortune would have it, it was down Pender's vacated flank that Bray took a shock lead within three minutes of kick-off.
Bray had scored just three goals in their opening six games but they didn't look like a side struggling for confidence in front of goal as they scored with their very first attack.
Jake Kelly cut the ball back to left-back Kevin Lynch and he clipped in a ball for Kelly, completely unmarked, to head low past goalkeeper Shane Supple.
The lead was to last mere seconds, however, and it was a rocket from the foot of midfielder Morris that left Bray keeper Aaron Dillon with no chance.
The former Northampton Town man was left with acres of space to line up a shot from more than 30 yards and he grasped the opportunity, thumping the ball into the corner of the net.
The home side took control from that point and could have doubled the lead shortly afterward when Corcoran set up Eoghan Stokes, but the former Leeds United youngster dragged his shot wide.
Moments later, it was Oscar Brennan's turn to hold his head in frutstration at what could have been after more good hold-up play from Corcoran.
Dan Casey forced a low stop from Dillon when he got his head to Stokes' free kick and couldn't dig the rebound out of his feet as Bohs continued to press.
The visitors worked their way back in to the game, however, and it took a wonderful full-stretch save from Supple to claw Sean Heaney's glancing header out of the bottom corner.
Darragh Noone was guilty of selfishness shortly after as Bray manufactured a four-on-two on the break, ignoring McCabe and Greene either side of him to shoot tamely at Supple.
The second half was comparatively light on action, but it only took only moment of inspiration as substitute Keith Ward teed up Corcoran to finish low past Dillon.
Bohemians: Shane Supple; Keith Buckley, Dan Casey, Rob Cornwall, Darragh Leahy; Ian Morris (Dylan Watts 80) Oscar Brennan, Keith Buckley, Paddy Kavanagh, Karl Moore (Kevin Devaney 83), Eoghan Stokes (Keith Ward 58); Dinny Corcoran.
Bray Wanderers: Aaron Dillon; Hugh Douglas, Conor Kenna, Sean Heaney, Kevin Lynch (Rhys Gorman 85); Daniel Kelly (Calvin Rogers 81), John Sullivan, Darragh Noone (Paul O'Conor 78), Jake Kelly; Gary McCabe, Aaron Greene.
