The gamble paid off for Bohemians as they beat Shamrock Rovers 1-0 in front of the largest ever attendance at an SSE Airtricity League game.
Bohs had given up home advantage for this so-called showpiece fixture, taking the Dublin Derby from the traditional home of Irish soccer - Dalymount Park - across the Liffey to its current home, the Aviva Stadium.
33,208 paid through the turnstiles to see the northsiders emerge with the bragging rights as Ross Tierney's first-half effort was enough to earn them the three points on offer.
A victory on the field for Bohs, it was also one off it for the league as a whole as its stock continues to rise on a historic day for the domestic game.
For Rovers, who have a habit of starting their League of Ireland campaigns slowly, there was the added blow of injuries to both Adam Matthews, Gary O'Neill and Danny Mandroiu ahead of Thursday's decisive UEFA Conference League meeting with Molde at Tallaght.
Alan Reynolds elected to start four of his new signings with Niall Morahan, John Mountney, Connor Parsons and Lys Mousset included in his XI. Rob Cornwall, meanwhile, was making a first appearance for the club in exactly a year since suffering an ACL injury against Sligo Rovers.
For Rovers, Ed McGinty, Matthews and Michael Noonan were making league debuts for the club in a side which showed three changes from the one which created history in Norway on Thursday evening. Matthews was also making his first appearance for the club, with O'Neill and Graham Burke drafted in as well.
Rovers started brightly as Graham Burke forced a save out of James Talbot with a shot from out left, but it was comfortable for the Bohs keeper. And shortly afterwards a shot from the other side yielded a similar result.
Bohs earned the first corner of the contest in the seventh minute after Connor Parsons' run was snuffed out down the left by Josh Honohan but the set piece came to nothing.
Both sides were feeling each other out in the first quarter of an hour with Rovers picking up two bookings in that period; Cleary, who was yellow carde against Molde less than 72 hours previously, and Mandroiu both flying in with poorly-timed challenges in the middle of the park.
Burke was looking lively and he almost set up the opener in the 22nd minute. The former Ireland international burst in from the right before pulling the ball back to Mandroiu just in front of the penalty spot. His shot was blocked down by Conrwall, with the Rovers supporters at the Havelock Square End screaming - from a distance - for referee Rob Hennessy to point to the spot, but play continued.
The deadlock was broken shortly afterwards as Parsons used all his pace to get around Lopes out left. His shot was blocked by McGinty but came back off the inside of the post, leaving Tierney to tap the ball home from two yards.
In the build up, the goalkeeper had accidentally landed on Matthews leg, bringing his Rovers debut to a disappointing end. He wouldn't be the only Hoop to have to come off before the break as Gary O'Neill's afternoon was cut short, forcing Stephen Bradley to introduce two players who started on Thursday; Danny Grant and Matt Healy. This was far from ideal for the Hoops, with the potentially lucrative second leg just four days away.
The goal gave Bohs energy and belief and they were in control for the next 10 minutes, with Dayle Rooney having a massive chance to double their advantage.
Rovers tried to play out from the back and saw Devoy put a head in to block an attempted clearance by Lopes.
The ball fell perfectly for the former Shels man, who took a touch before hitting it low and hard on the volley, but McGinty got down to expertly tip the effort around his left post.
It was entertaining fare with Rovers continuing to look dangerous. Healy slipped Burke in behind, but he didn't catch his effort cleanly. It flashed across goal before Michael Noonan whipped it back into the danger area, but Bohs were able to eventually clear the danger.
Careless play from Alan Reynolds' side nearly gifted Rovers the Hoops an equaliser five minutes into the second half as John Mountney's attempted back pass found Noonan. Talbot caught him, ball and all, with a sliding challenge to get it away, with more Rovers claims for a penalty waved away by Hennessy.
Noonan, in secondary school on Friday after his winning goal in Europe in midweek, was put in just before the hour mark but he pulled his effort wide of the right post.
Moments later, he was centimetres away from getting on the end of Grant's ball across goal.
You got the sense that it might be Bohs' day as the game ticked into its 72nd minute. Burke's cross was met by substitute Victor Ozhianvuna inside the six-yard box but Smith blocked the effort. It fell for Noonan, two yards out, but his strike caught a combination of Rooney and Smith and flew by the left post.
Bradley's side continued to press but they wouldn't get any closer than that. They'll have to put it behind them quickly but for Bohs it's the perfect start to the new campaign.
Bohemian FC: James Talbot; Liam Smith, Niall Morahan, Rob Cornwall, Connor Parsons (Keith Buckley 87), Dayle Rooney (Adam McDonnell 73), Dawson Devoy (Archie Meekison 73), Lys Mousset (Collie Whelan 56), Leigh Kavanagh, John Mountney, Ross Tierney.
Yellow cards: Smith 30, Devoy 56, Tierney 61, Cornwall 82
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Josh Honohan, Adam Matthews (Danny Grant 29), Pico Lopes, Lee Grace, Dan Cleary (Victor Ozhianvuna 69), Dylan Watts, Graham Burke, Danny Mandroiu (Aaron Greene 69), Gary O'Neill (Matt Healy 41), Michael Noonan.
Yellow cards: Cleary 4, Mandroiu 15
Referee: Rob Hennessy
Attendance: 33,208 (league record)
