Shamrock Rovers have won the SSE Airtricity League Men's Premier Division title after a 1-0 victory over Galway United.
Dylan Watts scored the only goal of the game in the 74th minute as Stephen Bradley's side wrapped up the title with a game to spare.
It was enough to give the Hoops their 22nd Premier Division crown and their fifth in the last six seasons.
The new champions had ample opportunities over the last few weeks to get the point they needed, but lost three league games on the spin to Shelbourne, St Patrick's Athletic and Derry City before finally getting over the line with victory over Galway in Tallaght.
Rovers finish their league campaign with a home tie against Sligo Rovers on Saturday, where they will be presented with the trophy, while at the same time Galway United travel to face Waterford at the RSC as their battle to avoid the promotion/relegation play-off game continues.
Stephen Bradley made six changes to his starting 11 from the Hoops side that lost in Derry, with Rory Gaffney and John McGovern up front, and there was also a first league start for teenager Max Kovalevskis, who is part of the Republic of Ireland squad for the upcoming Under-17 World Cup.
Midfielder Cian Barrett, who featured in recent European games for Rovers, was also handed a league debut, with Dan Cleary and Conor Malley included from the off.
Galway manager John Caulfield named the same team that drew 1-1 with Drogheda in their most recent league game.
The visitors had an excellent opportunity to get an early goal when captain Jimmy Keohane got free on the left before advancing into the Rovers area, but his shot lacked conviction, and he dragged it wide.
It took a while for Rovers to settle against a well organised visiting side, their first real chance coming on the quarter hour as Gaffney and Kovalevskis exchanged passes and a fine cross by the youngster picked out Gaffney in the area, but his header was straight at Galway keeper Brendan Clarke.
In the 25th minute, Kovalevskis and Gaffney combined again to set up Malley, who shot narrowly over the crossbar.
But it was Galway who should have taken the lead before the break.
A Stephen Walsh cross found Aaron Bolger all alone in the Hoops area, but with only Ed McGinty to beat, the former Rovers man skied a brilliant opportunity into the North Stand.
Gary Buckley also missed a great chance, hitting his shot into McGinty’s midriff after a Keohane free kick had been deflected into his path with five minutes to go to half-time.
The second half got bogged down in a midfield battle, with Galway sitting deep and in the 65th minute, Bradley (above) made a quadruple substitution, bringing on a number of his more regular starters in Graham Burke, Dylan Watts, Sean Kavanagh and Matt Healy.
Burke then had the best chance for the home side moments after coming on, but blazed over the bar.
But the substitutions eventually paid off when Rovers hit the front 15 minutes from time after Killian Brouder had hauled down Gaffney on the edge of the area and Watts scored with a sublime free kick into the top right-hand corner of the net.
The goal brought cries of "champions, champions" from the home supporters, who could celebrate with Bradley and his players at the final whistle as he registered his fifth league title with the club.
They can now turn their attention back to both the UEFA Conference League and Sunday week’s FAI Cup final against Cork City.
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty, Dan Cleary, Roberto Lopes, Cory O'Sullivan, Josh Honohan (Adam Mathews 52) Max Kovalevskis (Sean Kavanagh 65) ; Conor Malley (Dylan Watts 65), Aaron McEneff, Cian Barrett (Matt Healy 65); Rory Gaffney John McGovern (Graham Burke 65);
Galway United: Brendan Clarke; Jeannot Esua, Garry Buckley, Killian Brouder (Egor Vassenin 79), Bobby Burns; David Hurley, Dara McGuinness: Aaron Bolger (Axel Piesold 85) ; Jimmy Keohane Stephen Walsh; Patrick Hickey (Jeremy Sivi 89).
Referee: Aaron O’Dowd
Attendance: 5,279
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