Ten-man Galway United had John Caulfield smiling after a Turner's Cross game for the first time in a very long time as his Tribesmen held out to beat Cork City.
An Ed McCarthy goal decided a pretty even game played out in front of a whopping 5,000 onlookers on Leeside, most of whom went home frustrated, including City boss Colin Healy, who will wonder how Cork failed to score.
Caulfield's United will host Waterford and play with plenty of confidence after this win, something of a smash and grab, and Terryland will be rocking with a huge crowd for the Blues' visit.
Cork will rue this loss greatly, especially as they had nearly half of the game to make the most of Wilson Waweru's red card. It was not to be, with ex-home favourite Conor McCormack key to United's win.
There was a touching pre-game minute's applauding to honour Jerry Harris. Universally deemed a gentleman, Harris passed away in December at the age of 81; he played for former League of Ireland clubs on Leeside and served City as coach, kit man and club secretary.
A wild challenge by Jonas Hakkinen on United debutant Manu Dimas saw the first yellow brandished on 13 minutes, United having started better.
Two of City's more dynamic players, the highly regarded Cian Murphy and Dylan McGlade, combined three minutes later but McGlade couldn't get any power into his strike before a baying Shed.
Sadly for McGlade, a hat-trick hero in Bray last week, his game was done by the end of its first quarter, though James Doona was hardly a bad replacement.
City enjoyed a good spell in a slow-burning but feisty first half before Waweru turned and shot tamely beyond David Harrington, son of City legend 'Biscuits'.
And Waweru did brilliantly for the opener. He flicked to teenage sensation Alex Murphy, who rushed to the edge of the box and fed McCarthy to poke home on his United debut in front of the visiting fans.
City nearly responded almost immediately as Conor Kearns made a superb point-blank save from Rory Keating when it looked certain to go in.
It was even more remarkable that City didn't lead from the corner, Barry Coffey having a free header but Kearns somehow saving again with his feet.
Waweru's night lasted shy of 50 minutes. Rarely booked, he was twice here, going in late on Hakkinen to see his night come to an end.
United predictably sat back now but were relatively untroubled by the hour mark, with Dimas the lone soldier up front. He made way for Jordan Adeyemo on 65 minutes.
City looked set to equalise just afterwards, with Kearns saving brilliantly from Cian Bargary, and Killian Brouder bravely blocking the rebound from Keating.
And it was Portilla, the Spaniard also making his first United start, who slid across to block Keating with 12 minutes left, the defender punching the air in delight as he rose off the ground.
The Cross came to life with ten minutes left as Coffey hooked home but he was rightly deemed offside, the pressure growing.
United's defending really impressed, more composed than despairing, as City continued to pursue a winner and they really should have equalised with six minutes left, only for Murphy to blast over from around 12 yards.
Bargary then ran at a somewhat fearful United defence. He was nearly brought to the ground but made it inside the box, only to pull wide.
Elsewhere in the second tier of Irish football, Louis Britton scored for a second consecutive game as Waterford extended their winning start to the season with a 1-0 win over Bray Wanderers at the RSC.
The Bristol City loanee struck in the 27th minute from close range after Bray failed to clear a cross from Richard Taylor.
Wexford FC fought back to prevail in a 3-2 thriller against Cobh Ramblers at St Colman's Park.
Cobh led through Jack Larkin and then Beineón O'Brien-Whitmarsh, with Wexford restoring parity on each occasion via Thomas Considine and Dinny Corcoran to set up an enthralling finish.
A handball from Cobh's Breandan Frahill in the area in the 88th minute was to decide the outcome. Frahill saw red and Corcoran dispatched the penalty awarded to seal all three points for the visitors.
Cork City: Harrington; Hakkinen (Srbely 64), Coleman, Gilchrist, O'Connor; Bargary, Coffey, Bolger (Healy 75), McGlade (Doona 23); Murphy, Keating.
Galway United: Kearns; O'Keeffe, Portilla, Brouder, Murphy; McCormack, Hurley (Lyons 90), McCarthy; Rowe; Dimas (Adeyemo 65), Waweru.
Referee: Eoghan O'Shea.
