Peter Hutton, as so often in the past, was Derry City's hero with a late winner in this rollercoaster of a season's opener at the UCD Bowl.
With the game looking set for a draw, skipper Hutton popped up at the back post on 88 minutes to stab home from Ruaighri Higgins' free-kick from the left to leave a gallant College with nothing.
Roared on by their drum-bashing support, the Candystripes started well with Pat McCourt putting Mark Farren in for the first sniff of goal inside the opening minute. But the striker got right under his shot and blazed it over the bar.
If Farren was guilty of a little early season rustiness on that occasion, he could have no excuse for missing a sitter eight minutes later.
Paddy McCourt weaved his magic down the left, skinning UCD right-back Alan Mahon to get to the end line and cross. But Farren, unmarked, planed his header well over the bar for a dreadful miss.
UCD settled to create their first chance on 16 minutes, Ronan Finn pouncing on a loose ball to bring a save down low from Darren Quigley, back facing his old club for the first time.
But that was a mere reprieve ahead of the avalanche of action to come at the other end as Derry ran up a two goal lead inside five minutes.
The opener came on 20 minutes when College skipper Conor Kenna pulled down McCourt 22 yards out. Ruaidhri Higgins was coolness personified from the free-kick, curling it up and over the wall to place it perfectly in the top right-hand corner of Matt Gregg's net.
It got worse for a ragged UCD within another four minutes as negligent defending saw them concede again.
Left-back Steven Gray this time got forward to pull the ball back and Farren redeemed his earlier miss with a neat slide foot finish from close range.
UCD were a mess at the back now and almost conceded a third on 28 minutes. Giant defender Clive Delaney was up in attack and his meaty header was cleared off the line by Alan Mahon.
If UCD's defending was poor, neglectful play by Derry gifted UCD a goal to get them right back into the game on 36 minutes.
Brian King was given time and space out on the right wing to cross and Paul Byrne was left unchallenged to loop a header over the advancing Quigley.
UCD left the field at the break disgusted with referee Mark Gough for not giving them a penalty when Delaney certainly appeared to handle a cross inside the area from Alan McNally.
That riled UCD and they stormed back to level on 52 minutes. Derry failed to clear a corner and the ball broke for Kenna just out side the box.
The shot on the turn was on target, but a storm deflection off Byrne flat-footed Quigley to enter the net.
College were now on top in a thrilling game and Ronan Finn fired wide before Quigley had to make the save of the night.
Timmy Purcell let fly from long range and his former team-mate had to dive full stretch to push the ball out for a corner.
UCD: Gregg; Mahon, Shortall, Kenna, Bermingham; Finn, McNally, King, McWalter; Byrne, Purcell (Forsythe 72).
Derry City: Quigley; McCallion, Delaney, Hutton, Gray; McGlynn (Morrison, 73), Higgins, Molloy (Martyn, 77), McCourt; Farren (McHugh, 80), Sammon.
Referee: Mark Gough (Limerick).
