WITH a name like Damien, it's hardly surprising to learn that Damien Duff has become something of a lucky 'omen' as far as Blackburn's Premiership survival hopes are concerned.

For when the chips were down in the battle to beat the drop it was the mercurial Irishman who inspired Rovers to vital home victories over Southampton and Ipswich with two stunning contenders for goal of the season.

And the jet-heeled winger was up to his old tricks again at The Riverside where he almost single-handedly orchestrated Middlesbrough's downfall with another spellbinding display of wing-wizardy which virtually exorcised the spectre of relegation once and for all.

How Steve McLaren -- Sven Goran Eriksson's right-hand man -- must have sat on the Boro bench and quietly lamented the fact that the Rovers wide-man wasn't English.

For while he and Eriksson continue to scour the country for the answer to England's problematic left-side, Duff the destroyer continues to underline his new-found status as the top-flight's undisputed left-wing king.

Robbie Stockdale -- recently capped by Scotland -- became the latest Premiership full-back to be given a roasting by the Rovers winger.

And, if he manages to reproduce this kind of magic for the Republic of Ireland in the Far East this summer, then even if Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier robbed the Bank of England it wouldn't be enough to persuade Ewood chief Graeme Souness to part with his crown jewel.

For 33 minutes, Rovers and Boro had tentatively tip-toed around the edge of the ring in a bout of sparring which had rarely threatened to rise above the mediocre.

Then, quick as a flash, Duff suddenly found himself in space 30 yards out where he then embarked on a dazzling diagonal run across the box, brushing off defenders in gladiatorial style, before delivering a pin-point left-wing cross to the far post where Yordi was lurking to pocket the opener.

It was a moment of pure genius from an artist who has the ability to light up a canvas with one stroke of his brush.

And even his own team-mates are currently in awe of his breathtaking talents as he prepares to take Japan and South Korea by storm.

"Damien is the finest talent I've ever worked with in the Premiership and it will be a truly frightening prospect when he actually realises just how good he is," said defender Craig Short, in his own personal tribute to the irrepressible Irishman.

"He's going to create a lot of attention at the World Cup because he's the matchwinner for us and the Irish, as he keeps proving.

"Last season in the First Division he was tremendous but he has come into the Premiership and he's not been fazed by anything.

"No full-back has got the better of him and, at times this season, he has destroyed players which is incredible at this level.

"He's a shy, unassuming lad who just goes about his job. He doesn't like days off, he just wants to train every day.

"And I really think if he was at a big club in London -- and that's not being disrespectful to Blackburn -- he would be getting a lot more attention than he does.

"He was the difference for us against Middlesbrough because we didn't play well. But the result was a total relief for us."

Rovers travelled to the Riverside knowing a victory would inflict major psychological damage on third-from-bottom Ipswich. But history was hardly on their side because you had to go back to the 1946/47 to find Rovers' last top-flight victory at Boro.

However, their third away win of the season was never in doubt from the moment Duff conjured up Yordi's second goal in as many starts.

Stripped of Alen Boksic and Noel Whelan up front, Boro looked a pale shadow of the side which had tasted defeat just once in their previous eight Premiership outings.

And such was the home side's ineptitude, Rovers cantered to their biggest away win of the season without ever hitting top gear.

Tugay and Keith Gillespie struggled to influence proceedings, in particular, in a scrappy first half.

But in Duff they had the game's most inventive player, and his pace and precision on the left ultimately tipped the balance.

Desperate to avenge a controversial FA Cup exit at The Riverside two months ago, Rovers made the brighter start in a lacklustre first half.

Aussie keeper Mark Schwarzer made a sharp save to deny Yordi and Andy Cole then saw a goal-bound volley deflected wide by a defender.

However, Rovers' pressure finally paid off 12 minutes before the break when Tugay picked out Duff 30 yards out and the inspirational Irishman accelerated passed a posse of defenders before crossing for Yordi to tap home the opener.

Cole then had the chance to extend Rovers' advantage but failed to get a decisive touch on another Duff cross.

Boro, in contrast, created little going forward apart from a shot from Paul Ince which flew inches wide late on in the half.

After the break, Beni Carbone twice threatened an equaliser with shots from distance.

But Cole -- who looked threatening all afternoon -- effectively made the points safe when he powered home a header from a Duff corner in the 74th minute.

It was left to David Dunn to ice the cake when he scored from the spot with eight minutes left after he had been fouled in the area by Franck Queudrue -- Rovers' first such award in the league this season.

And to compound Boro's misery, Queudrue then saw red in the 88th minute for chopping down Dunn as he closed in on goal again.

They did salvage some pride at the death when Szilard Nemeth prodded home in the final seconds.

But that was no more than a consolation on a day which belonged to Rovers and a man named Duff in particular.

MIDDLESBROUGH 1

Nemeth 90

ROVERS 3

Yordi 33, Cole 74, Dunn (p) 82