RORY GAFFNEY came off the bench to give Shamrock Rovers a huge three points in their bid to regain the Premier Division title.
The hosts had looked to be steamrolling their way to the trophy by going 11 games unbeaten before falling to defeat in the Dublin Derby against Bohemians on Monday.
But Stephen Bradley’s men got back on track thanks to Gaffney’s second-half finish.
Before the match, Bradley claimed the Bohs loss could prove to be a “kick up the a***” for his men.
And this seemed the case as his side went close to opening the scoring within the first five minutes.
Graham Burke got to the endline before standing up a deep cross to the back post to Danny Grant.
The wing-back chested the ball down under pressure before hitting the foot of the near post, with his effort somehow staying out.
Having been sidelined since April with a calf problem, Andy Boyle was welcomed back to the Waterford side with a bang.
He was booked for hauling down Michael Noonan near the halfway line as the teenager — 18 years his junior — looked to be clear through on goal.
In his first trip to Tallaght as Blues boss, John Coleman made one enforced change to the side that drew 2-2 at home to champions Shelbourne on Monday, with Conan Noonan unavailable against his parent club.
And his side responded well to the early onslaught.
Wing-back Jesse Demspey found space down the left and cleverly cut back to the edge of the area into the path of James Olayinka.
Attempting to sweep the ball home, his strike was well turned away by Ed McGinty before Josh Honohan cleared under pressure.
Both sides exchanged strikes from range as they sensed an opener was within touching distance.
Honohan’s right-footed curler, as he cut inside from the left, was brilliantly tipped around the post by Stephen McMullan at full stretch.
The impressive Olayinka then showed awareness to turn two men and drill a powerful effort straight into McGinty’s midriff.
The visitors fashioned one of the clearest chances to break the deadlock just after the half-hour mark when Tommy Lonergan got in behind the Rovers rearguard. Dan Cleary came across to force the frontman wide, leaving poacher supreme Pádraig Amond free inside the six-yard box.
But with the angle against him, Lonergan opted to go himself, shooting straight at McGinty as Amond looked on in disbelief.
TEN OUT OF TEN
The hosts, roared on by the majority of the 4,014 in Tallaght Stadium, continued to prod for an opening but were met by a well-organised sea of blue that carried a threat on the break.
With nothing between the sides as the second half wore on, the introduction former PFAI award winners Jack Byrne and Gaffney showed the strength in depth at Bradley’s disposal.
Seeing them coming into the mix also lifted the crowd.
And Gaffney took just ten minutes to have a crucial impact.
The 35-year-old rolled back the years as he showed lightning-quick reactions to race on to a spill by McMullan — who had initially failed to hold a stinging Danny Mandroiu strike from 25 yards — and tap home with 15 minutes to go.
Rovers pushed for a second and Maxim Kovalevskis, impressive again off the bench, showed great feet to cut inside and square to Gaffney.
But he saw his thunderous effort bravely blocked to safety.
Rovers held on for what could be a pivotal win in the title race as attention turns to another European adventure and the start of an FAI Cup tilt over the month of July.
SUN STAR MAN
Danny Mandroiu (Shamrock Rovers)
SHAMROCK ROVERS: McGinty 7; Cleary 7, Lopes 8, Grace 7: Grant 7 (Kovalevskis 76, 7), Watts 7 (Gaffney 65, 9) Healy 7, Mandroiu 9 (Nugent 88, 7), Honohan 7; G Burke 7 (Byrne 65, 7), Noonan 7 (O’Neill 88, 7).
WATERFORD: McMullen 7; Boyle 7, Leahy 7, Burke 7 (Coyle 80, 7); Horton 7, McDonald 7 (McMenamy 69, 7), Glenfield 7, Olayinka 8, Dempsey (White 71, 7): Lonergan 7, Amond 7.
REFEREE: P Norton (Dublin) 6.
