UCD and Sligo Rovers swapped headed goals in settling for a point apiece at the UCD Bowl in a game marred by a nasty injury to referee David Dunne.
Karl O'Sullivan put Sligo ahead early in the second half with Dylan Duffy deservedly levelling for the Students.
Despite pressing well from the kick-off, Sligo struggled to trouble the home defence early on before a defensive miscue at the other end almost allowed Liam Kerrigan a run in on goal for the first scent of a chance on 16 minutes.
Sligo goalkeeper Ed McGinty read the situation well, racing outside his area to make a fine tackle on the UCD winger and clear the danger.
Sligo's first sight of goal didn’t arrive until the 37th minute from the game’s first corner.
Adam McDonnell drove the ball low to the edge of the box for Aidan Keena whose flicked effort was straight at Kian Moore between the College posts.
Within a minute, a mistake by Shane Blaney might have gifted UCD the lead.
Again McGinty rescued his side, off his line quickly to make himself big before saving Duffy’s shot with his feet.
With the game having finally sparked to life, Moore did well back at the other end when holding a stinging drive from the menacing Keena.
The Sligo striker then produced the moment of the half, gliding past two defenders only to see his shot tenaciously blocked by UCD skipper Jack Keaney.
As in the first, Sligo started the second half on the front foot. And this time they found a way to goal.
Again Keena was central, turning past Evan Osam inside the area.
And though his powerful drive was deflected up into the air by Moore, midfielder O’Sullivan nodded the dropping ball into the net.
The game was then held up for some six minutes just before the hour mark while Dublin referee Dunne was taken off on a stretcher to be treated in an ambulance having been accidentally struck in the face by the ball.
When the game resumed, Sam Todd got his body in the way of another Keena effort while substitute Lewis Banks worked Moore as UCD hung on before equalising on 68 minutes.
Evan Caffrey’s cross picked out Duffy who scored with a firm header.
The game suffered another nasty injury when UCD lost substitute Thomas Lonergan to a possible concussion after he collided heavily with McGinty.
Moore then secured UCD's point with the save of the game on 86 minutes, acrobatically tipping over McDonnell’s drive from distance which appeared destined for the top corner.
UCD: Kian Moore; Michael Gallagher, Jack Yoro, Sam Todd, Evan Osam; Jack Keaney, Dara Keane (Alex Nolan 75); Mark Dignam (Alex Nolan 75);, Evan Caffrey, Liam Kerrigan (Thomas Lonergan 75; Eoin Farrell 82)), Dylan Duffy.
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Colm Horgan (Lewis Banks 58), Garry Buckley, Shane Blaney, Paddy Kirk; Greg Bolger, Niall Morahan; Karl O’Sullivan (Seamus Keogh 82), Adam McDonnell, Will Fitzgerald (Cillian Heaney 88), Aidan Keena.
Referee: David Dunne (Dublin) (Replaced by Derek Tomney (Dublin) on 62 mins.).
