Shamrock Rovers weathered an early storm from leaders Bohemians to claim the Dublin derby spoils at a packed Dalymount Park and pick up their second win of the SSE Airtricity League season.
Just like buses, the reigning champions had waited until the seventh matchday to earn a three-point haul with victory at ten-man Dundalk last week and seven days on, it was a second triumph of the campaign as goals in each half from Neil Farrugia and Rory Gaffney saw Stephen Bradley's side win 2-0 and move up to fifth in the Premier Division table.
Bohemians have the consolation of remaining top of the pile thanks to Derry City's defeat at home to Drogheda United but Declan Devine's side will rue the missed opportunity of stretching that lead at the top after a spirited start to the occasion.
Bohs made a fast start in front of the 4,290 attendance, snapping into challenges early on before Dylan Connolly let fly with a tester from distance inside the opening minute which Alan Mannus got down to, warming his hands with a comfortable stop.
And the home side thought they had opened the scoring in the third minute when they made a foray down the right flank. Connolly showed presence of mind to pull the ball back invitingly for the in-form Ali Coote who was striding towards the box. It looked a certain goal but the ball skimming wide of the post and the groans of the home fans confirmed otherwise.
Graham Burke then had sighter from range at the other end but the Rovers midfielder's effort was just over James Talbot’s crossbar.
Playing with a confidence of a side that started the fixture top of the table and 10 points clear of their visitors, Bohs continued to make all the early running and just after Jonathan Afolabi had a half-chance with a deflected shot after swivelling at the edge of the box, Coote then played a lovely through ball for Connolly to run onto although he could not make more of the opportunity under pressure from his diligent marker Lee Grace who made a crucial challenge to stem the red and black tide.
Just as Rovers showed signs of trying to take the sting out of the game, Bohs picked their pockets again down the Rovers left but Connolly's attempt to release Coote was intercepted.
Connolly then went down in the box after another enterprising burst down the right on 20 minutes but referee Rob Harvey was unmoved.
But the home side’s stranglehold began to ease after that which allowed Rovers, who looked to have just about weathered the early storm, more time on the ball, albeit largely confined to the feet of their back three initially. But Bradley’s team worked their way into the contest.
Burke found space down the left in the 25th minute, before firing across the six-yard box with Talbot doing well to gather at the second attempt with Gaffney lurking.
The Hoops then went closer than either side had gone up to that point. An in-swinging corner from the left was met by the forehead of Sean Hoare.
His effort cannoned back off the bar before Bohs scrambled the follow up clear.
Five minutes before the break, Bohs lifted their performance levels again but Connolly skewed a half-volley from range well over Mannus’ bar after a free-kick from the left had come to him 25 yards out.
But then the breakthrough came from the visitors a minute before first half stoppage time. Burke proved a menace down the left, bursting past Keith Buckley and fizzed another dangerous low cross into the danger zone.
Talbot did well to flick it away but Farrugia retrieved possession just outside the box before teeing up Byrne to curve a ball back into the mixer.
Farrugia had not been standing on ceremony and had ghosted into space, flicking a header past Bohs' keeper and into the back of the net much to the away support's joy as Shamrock Rovers went into the break a goal to the good.
Unlike the start of the game, Shamrock Rovers had the better of the early exchanges when the action resumed, with Burke firing just wide from the right channel on 50 minutes.
The home fans were on their feet in the 54th minute when Connolly was scythed down by Rovers centre-back Grace down the right wing - the defender joining Bohs captain Buckley in the book - but the resulting free-kick into the area was plucked from under his crossbar by Mannus.
That passage of play seemed to spark Bohs back to life and the roars got louder as Buckley earned a free-kick just outside the Rovers box.
Adam McDonnell's set-piece was better this time, beating the wall but ultimately straight at Mannus.
The Hoops won a free-kick of their own just outside the Bohs box on the hour mark. Dylan Watts’ effort sailed over however.
Markus Poom then flashed a shot towards goal that took a nick on its way to earn a Rovers corner as the home side struggled to get out of their own half.
It was all Rovers at this point with PFAI Player of the Year Gaffney showing his quality with a deft touch and spin away from his would be marker down the left before firing a dangerous cross just beyond Burke's reach.
But in the 65th minute, Shamrock Rovers’ pressure paid off as they made it 2-0. A Byrne free-kick from the right took a touch off a head towards Gaffney who had stationed himself at the far post and the Galway native turned the ball in for his third goal of the season.
It would have been 3-0 with a quarter hour to go but for an outstanding save from Talbot leaping to his left to push away a goal-bound Grace header.
Bohs looked to rally in the last 10 minutes but struggled to break through the Rovers rearguard as the away fans’ chants of 'Cheerio’ emanated from their stand.
And despite the urging from the Bohs faithful, an onslaught did not come as Shamrock Rovers followed last week’s first win of the campaign with another three points.
Bohemians: Talbot; Horton, Nowak, Radkowski, Kirk; Buckley (McManus '58), McDonnell; Connolly (Twardek ‘65), Coote (Williams ‘76), McDaid (O'Sullivan ‘69); Afolabi.
Shamrock Rovers: Mannus; Hoare, Grace, Cleary; Farrugia, Kavanagh (Lopes ‘90); Byrne (Ferizaj ‘90), Poom, Watts (Clarke ‘90); Burke (Nugent ‘81), Gaffney (Kenny ‘81).
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