Derry City powered to the top of the table after downing their chief title rivals Shamrock Rovers with two meaty punches to the gut.
If the Candystripes are to build on their FAI Cup success and close the points gap on the Hoops from last year, they have to strike when their opponents are weak.
Plenty was made of the Hoops missing their first-choice back three of Pico Lopes, Lee Grace and Dan Cleary through suspension.
But for long periods of this game, Rovers didn’t play like a side weighed down with troubles as they were the more adventurous and willing side.
So Stephen Bradley and his players will wonder how they finished without a share of the prize at least, as they sink to second bottom of the Premier Division.
There will be no panic around these parts, of course. And, at the same time, Derry won’t overegg the value of this win, not this early in the season.
All the same, it was an important victory for a side going places with Ben Doherty and Jamie McGonigle scoring either side of a Johnny Kenny thunderbolt.
Nobody in the Derry camp spoke about markers being laid down when they beat Rovers in the curtain-raising President’s Cup.
But their first victory in Tallaght since 2017 is certainly a significant night’s work and a clear sign that they smell blood this year.
While those suspensions put Rovers on the back foot, they made sure to start the game on the front one.
And they kept that foot on the throttle for long spells, despite falling behind early on.
As it happens, goal scorer Doherty was off to a ropey start as Neil Farrugia tormented the left-back with his powerful runs down the right.
Stephen Kenny - here in the crowd - is a big fan of Farrugia and an Ireland call-up at some point in 2023 cannot be ruled out.
But for all his possession, the end result was just a little too inconsistent, be it balls inside to Kenny or Graham Burke.
Despite their intent, the chances just weren't falling Rovers way and Derry, who had been second best, capitalised.
A Rovers corner broke down with Will Patching and Ollie O’Neill clearing the danger, before Patching sent Doherty scampering free from the half-way line.
Trevor Clarke ought to have cut out that initial pass - and he looked devastated when the ball hit the net.
But Doherty had Dylan Watts’ measure in their lengthy sprint towards Alan Mannus’ goal, with Clarke relegated to bronze.
Doherty’s execution was cool and calm yet the Candystripes lead was short lived as Rovers were level nine minutes later.
Gary O’Neill intercepted Sadio Diallo’s pass and took flight, only for Diallo to chase him down and trip him.
Referee Neil Doyle played advantage and Markus Poom threaded a ball through to Kenny who beat Maher with a thumping angled drive high into the net.
And Rovers nearly took the lead six minutes before the break after a counter with Farrugia centrally involved again.
He teed up Clarke who saw Maher save with his feet before Burke hooked the rebound across the face of goal.
But Derry had no intention of going quietly and although they were suffocated by the Hoops press, they packed a punch once unshackled.
Ryan Graydon was a handful for Sean Kavanagh down the right and was central to the Candystripes reclaiming the lead nine minutes into the second-half.
On the overlap, he collected Patching’s ball and squared for McGonigle who peeled off Sean Gannon and had ample space to stick the ball past Mannus.
And the pressure kept on coming with Patrick McEleney unleashing a 35-yard effort that had Mannus at full stretch.
Crucially, Derry were a lot more compact than they had been.
Clarke and Poom saw shots pinball around the box but Derry held the champions at arm’s length for a precious win.
