An injury-time goal from Patrick Kavanagh gave UCD all three points as UCD beat Sligo Rovers 1-0 in Sean Connor's last game as manager of Rovers at Belfield.
Kavanagh came out on top when he challenged Rovers goalkeeper Richard Brush for a short back-pass, and the UCD man slotted home into the empty net in the 93rd minute.
Both sides had their chances in a tight game, with Fahrudin Kudozovic hitting the bar for the visitors in the first half and Kavanagh and Paul Byrne also going close for The Students.
Connor confirmed his resignation as Rovers manager after the game to bring to an end his successful reign at The Showgrounds. This followed Tuesday's disappointing 5-0 defeat to Derry City in the FAI Carlsberg Cup semi-final replay.
The first real chance of note came on seven minutes when a weak Harpal Singh free-kick was easily gathered by UCD 'keeper Darren Quigley.
However, a minute later Fahrudin Kudozovic hit the bar with an excellent strike from distance as Rovers pressed for an early opener.
UCD began to settle after that warning and Derek Doyle had the ball in the net on 12 minutes with a close-range strike. However, the flag had already been correctly raised for offside.
A swift, incisive move, started well inside the Sligo half, almost saw Paul McTiernan through but again the flag was raised before he got his shot away on 15 minutes.
Rovers left-back Keith Foy tried his luck from distance in the 23rd minute but his speculative effort sailed just wide before a McTiernan strike a minute later was easily collected by Quigley.
Kavanagh could and should have opened the scoring for the hosts in the 37th minute but he blazed over from ten yards from Doyle's left-wing cross. The sprightly Kavanagh then sent a dangerous ball in from the right a minute later but, luckily for Rovers, there was no UCD man on hand to capitalise.
Brush was fortunate to gather a dangerous in-swinging corner from the right just before the break to leave the sides deadlocked at half-time.
A tamely struck free-kick from Stephen Hurley straight into Brush's arms was the first effort of consequence in a tentative start to the second half.
That was in the 57th minute and despite three substitutions there was still little incision on show, with a decent Kavanagh shot on 76 minutes the only telling action of the next 20 minutes.
Confusion in the Sligo defence saw them let off with the concession of an untidy corner-kick a minute later, from which the Students failed to test Brush.
Substitute Paul Byrne missed a glorious chance to put UCD ahead in the closing stages as the game looked set to end in a stalemate.
However, former Wayside Celtic player Kavanagh got the reward his perseverance and trickery deserved when he came out best in his duel with Brush at the death to give UCD their third win over Rovers this season.
The result was harsh on the visitors, who controlled the game for long spells, and the search must now begin to find a replacement for Connor.
UCD: 1 Darren Quigley, 2 Conor Kenna, 3 Darragh Ryan, 4 Stephen Hurley, 5 Alan McNally, 6 Tony McDonnell (capt), 7 Patrick Kavanagh, 8 Gary Dicker, 9 Conor Sammon (15 Paul Byrne, 68 mins), 10 Ronan Finn, 11 Derek Doyle (13 Conan Byrne 85 mins). Subs: 12 Brian Shortall, 14 Kieran Harte, 16 James Hussey.
Sligo Rovers: 16 Richard Brush, 3 Keith Foy, 6 Conor O'Grady (capt), 7 Adam Hughes (27 Choice Aisien, 68 mins), 8 Fahrudin Kudozovic, 10 Paul McTiernan (12 Darren Mansaram, 58 mins), 15 Gary Curran, 17 Jamie McKenzie, 18 Harpal Singh, 22 Seamus Coleman, 21 Emlyn Mulligan. Subs: 19 Sean Kelly, 1 John O'Hara, 23 John Bellew.
Referee: Richie Winter.
