Third consecutive away draw keeps Cork City unbeaten
Referees left it 10 minutes late to start proceedings at Belfield but Cork City never really got going over the subsequent 95 minutes.
Still, another point on the road, their third successive away draw, keeps the Rebels top, undefeated and very much in control of their flightpath to Premier Division redemption.
Few chances were created at either end here and not even the exuberance of Jaden Umeh, who had a late effort saved by Kian Moore, could have added a seventh win from their opening 10 matches.
Regardless of how meekly College were relegated last season, their history, prestige and resources means they’ll always be fancied to figure in the First Division promotion shake-up.
Sporting Director Diarmuid McNally was forthright enough last year to confess the top tier amid the rising tide of professionalism and wages wasn’t a long-term viability for their business model but the educational opportunities they provide, allied with access to world-class facilities on a daily basis at their Belfield campus, will also attract a certain profile of budding footballer.
Liam Scales is the topical exemplar of graduate. Four years ago, the current Ireland international and Champions League player for Celtic was lining up before a sparse crowd while combining his football with studies.
Other graduates are scattered around the league – including City’s returning double winner Greg Bolger – and irrespective whether this latest bunch succeed in navigating the latest of their several promotion tilts, it's probable some individuals will enjoy sustained careers at that level.
Ronan Finn plotted that path and has come full circle. Seven league medals were collected during stints at Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers (twice) before he opted to resume his dual duties as student and player.
Him sacrificing a potential record five-in-row of titles at Rovers underscored the allure UCD retains but the presence he was touted to supply for life back in the second tier was curtailed after just two games. A knee injury has sidelined the midfielder since that game against Treaty United, the first of three successive defeats.
The reverse scenario of three victories in their next sequence offered hope before draws in the last two slowed their revival.
That Cork City also dropped points in two of their last four matches quashed fears of a runaway leader but the seven-point gap at the outset highlighted the need for a UCD victory if they harboured ambitions of usurping City for the one automatic promotion slot.
Ciaran Behan’s four goals in his previous matches stood him out as the attacker the visitors had to watch and he eventually posed a threat.
That purple patch of his didn’t materialise until his defenders absorbed a spell of early City pressure.
A couple of long-range efforts by Bolger and Evan McLaughlin angled wide of the upright while goalkeeper Moore made the right decision by retreating to his goal after his initial scamper from his box presented Jack Doherty with an opportunity of executing a lob.
Behan then whipped an 18th-minute free-kick a yard over to break the flow and two minutes later nodded his header a similar distance above the crossbar from a well-worked corner routine.
On the stroke of half-time, there were appeals from City for a penalty when Cathal O’Sullivan crumbled under a Harry Curtis challenge but the only whistle was for the interval.
Level at the break, UCD enjoyed a spell of territorial dominance thereafter yet required Moore to turn over Barry Coffey’s stinging 20-yard volley on 57 minutes.
An acrobatic effort from the same distance by McLaughlin also threatened but drifted marginally wide of the left post.
Industrial action had caused the delay but neither never looked like scoring no matter how long this was dragged out.
UCD: K Moore; A Dunne, N Holohan, H Curtis (D Bishop-Kinsella 66), A Wells; M Raggett (M Parker 82), C Behan, S Brennan, D Higgins (A Verdon 90), C Bolton (L O’Regan 66); J Doyle.
CORK CITY: B Wade; H Nevin, C Coleman, C Lyons, E McLaughlin; C Bargary (N Wood 63), G Bolger, B Coffey (J Fitzpatrick 77), C O’Sullivan (J Umeh 63), J Doherty (S Murray 68); C Murphy.
Referee: Ray Matthews (Westmeath).
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