A first goal of the season at Tallaght Stadium gave Shamrock Rovers a first home win and one they’ll treasure over bitter rivals Bohemians.
The Hoops, who have struggled thus far, produced a performance full of effort and endeavour to deny the champions space and time, with Billy Dennehy heading in their 38th minute winner.
The Kerryman’s goal for Cork City at the same venue swung the title in Bohs’ direction last year, but while he was popular around Dalymount that night, his header from Stephen Rice’s long throw and Dan Murray’s flick was more to the locals’ liking.
Bohs had plenty of the ball, but they created little with headers from Ken Oman and Killian Brennan their best of the first half.
A minute after Brennan had headed into the side netting, Dennehy pounced and it could have been two but for Owen Heary’s block on Murray and Stephen Rice firing over after Chris O’Connor had spilled the ball in the area.
They almost let the lead slip just two minutes after the break as Paul Keegan’s powerful header from Gareth McGlynn’s corner was cleared off the line by Danny Murphy.
Dennehy threatened on the break, firing over after a one-two with the impressive James Chambers, but injuries to Ollie Cahill, Pat Flynn and Stephen Rice forced Michael O’Neill to shuffle his pack.
The arrival of Gary Twigg for the first time this campaign lifted spirits as the Hoops continued to battle bravely to deny the visitors space.
On one of the few times they got in behind after McGlynn blocked Murray’s clearance, Aidan Price made a brilliant tackle to deny Jason Byrne who was through on goal.
Keegan was put through after neat work from Conor Powell and Raffaele Cretaro, but his shot was straight at Alan Mannus, while Byrne had a last ditch chance after being played through by the Sligo native, but he fired wide from a difficult angle.
Despite Alan Kelly indicating five minutes of injury time, the champions could do no more and the Hoops hung on for a deserved win.
SHAMROCK ROVERS – Mannus; Murphy, Price, Murray, Flynn (O’Connor 75); Dennehy, Rice (Bayly 60), Chambers, Turner, Cahill (Twigg 72); Stewart.
BOHEMIANS – O’Connor; Shelley, Heary (Madden 81), Oman, Powell; Brennan (Quigley h-t), Cronin (Higgins 85), Keegan, McGlynn; Cretaro, Byrne.
REF – A Kelly (Cork).