UCD youngster John Brophy missed a sitter on his debut as Drogheda blew a chance to go back top of the Premier Division table as the game ended 0-0 at Belfield tonight.
A defensive slip put substitute Brophy in on goal on 82 minutes but he shot wide with only Dan Connor to beat.
College frustrated Drogheda for much of the game, though the Boynesiders only have themselves to blame for not taking their chances.
Paul Keegan brought a good save from UCD keeper Darren Quigley before Tony Grant was guilty of two bad misses as Drogheda failed to make their dominance pay.
Conor Kenna cleared off the UCD line from Grant's lob while Keegan had a header scrambled away as Drogheda upped the tempo in the second, but just couldn't find a way through.
UCD then finished strongly with Pat McWalter shooting into the side netting while Damien Lynch cleared off the line from Gary Dicker.
Drogheda join Cork City on 34 points at the top of the table but have an inferior goal difference of one.
UCD: Quigley; Kenna, McNally, Shortall, Ryan; Hurley (Harte, 67 mins.), Cawley (Brophy, 67 mins), Dicker, Doyle; McWalter, Sammon.
Drogheda United: Connor; Lynch, Gavin, Gartland, Webb; Whelan, Bradley (Tyrrell, 73 mins.), Keegan (Fitzpatrick, 89 mins.), Robinson; Grant, Barrett (Zayed, h/t).
Referee: Pat Whelan (Dublin).
