UCD grabbed a precious point at Belfield Park when holding second placed Derry City to a 0-0 draw, but the students will be disappointed they didn't win this one.
Indeed, the home side dominated the few scoring chances that were created with Derry clearly out-of-sorts up front.
Brandywell boss Stephen Kenny replaced strikers Stephen O'Flynn and Mark Farren with Gary Beckett and Kevin McHugh as the game progressed, but neither made an impact.
However, UCD's lone striker and 'man of the match' Conor Sammon caused the Derry defence no shortage of problems and he went closest to scoring.
In the 26th minute Sammon forced Derry keeper, David Forde, into a superb one-handed point blank save before Mark McChrystal cleared the ball off his goal-line.
Derry's best chance fell to Sean Hargan in the 69th minute but the full-back could only guide the ball into the side netting following a free-kick.
