UCD claimed their second point in eight days but ultimately it may not be enough to avoid relegation. UCD have just two games remaining, against Shamrock Rovers and Galway United.

The early chances fell to the visitors with Liam Coyle, showing no ill effects from a niggling groin strain. It took two good saves from Patrick Jennings, son of the former Northern Ireland goalkeeper, to deny the striker.

UCD, however, began to come into it and just on the half-hour mark, their tall central defender Clive Delaney headed over from a corner.

Derry having started brightly continued to back off and Eoin Bennis' lob just cleared the crossbar. On 35 minutes, Derek Swan unleashed a low shot that seemed destined for the bottom corner but just at the last minute, Russell Payne, stretched out a hand to tip his effort away.

Within seven minutes of the restart UCD were picking the ball out of the back of their net. The move was simple enough with Coyle playing a ball across the box and the unmarked Sean Hargan scored.

But the introduction of Ciaran Kavanagh and Paul O'Mara injected some much needed urgency into the UCD side. With 20 minutes remaining Swan gave them a lifeline when he beat Payne with a fine shot on the turn. However, disappointingly for the students, they were unable to take all three points, with Bennis spurning a glorious opportunity a few moments later. And in the dying seconds Hargan hit the side netting.

UCD: Jennings; Mahon, McAuley, Delaney, McLaughlin (Kavanagh, 66 mins); Mooney (O'Meara, 60 mins), Martyn, McDonnell, J Martin; Bennis (R Martin 77 mins), Swan.

Derry City: Payne; McAlliion, Kelly, Hutton, Harkin; McCready (McCaul, 80 mins), McGlynn (Quigley, 75 mins), McLoughlin, Doherty; Coyle (Devlin, 75 mins), Hargan.

Referee: A Kelly (Cork)