Leading by example as skipper on the night, Shane Griffin's first goal of the season maintained Shelbourne’s ever improving form as they had too much for UCD at Tolka Park.
Unbeaten now in seven games, Damien Duff’s side edge back up to fourth place in the table, overnight at least.
Bottom side College had frustrated Shels in a scoreless draw at the UCD Bowl a month ago, the last team to hold them scoreless.
And though Shelbourne started brightly, forcing two early corners, it was their keeper Conor Kearns who first saw action with saves from Ciaran Behan and Danu Kinsella-Bishop following sloppy home play.
But having failed to capitalise on Shels' mistakes, UCD were clinically punished for giving the ball away themselves in the 39th minute.
Behan’s loose pass was pounced on by Evan Caffrey who played Griffin in first time.
The defender, captain due to Luke Byrne rotated to the bench, took a touch with his left foot before shooting to the net off the cross bar with his right for a striker's finish.
UCD might have been level three minutes before the interval but for a bad miss by Kinsella-Bishop.
Paddy Barrett blocked a shot from Michael Gallagher. The ball fell to Kinsella-Bishop six yards out only for the striker to slice wide.
With more impetus to their game on the resumption, a fine tip over save by Kian Moore from Jack Moylan’s header prevented Shelbourne doubling their lead 10 minutes in.
The frame of their goal would then rescue UCD on 74 minutes.
Matty Smith got past Adam Wells on the right to whip over a superb cross for Jack Moylan who saw his downward header come back off a post.
Minutes later, Smith’s first time shot from John Ross Wilson’s cross brought a good stop from Moore as Shels were thwarted again from adding to their winning margin.
Pressing late on, UCD might have snatched an equaliser but for the brilliance of Kearns.
Kearns first positioned himself well to parry away substitute Colin Bolton’s powerful drive.
He then somehow got a hand to bat Alex Nolan’s close range effort over the top deep in stoppage time.
Shelbourne: Conor Kearns; Andrew Quinn, Paddy Barrett, Shane Griffin; John Ross Wilson, Evan Caffrey, JJ Lunney, Tyreke Wilson (Kameron Ledwidge 67); Jack Moylan (Brian McManus 82), Matty Smith, Jad Hakiki (Kyle Robinson 72).
UCD: Kian Moore; Evan Osam, Jack Keaney, Adam Wells, Jesse Dempsey (Luke O'Regan 63); Michael Gallagher (Colin Bolton 71), Donal Higgins (Harry O’Connor 55); Ciaran Behan, Danny Norris, Alex Nolan; Danu Kinsella-Bishop (Jake Doyle 63).
Referee: Rob Harvey (Dublin).
