Dundalk really needed the points from this one to escape from the relegation zone as they are facing the three top teams in their next outings. In the end, however, they must consider themselves lucky to take even a single point from a UCD team that defended well and were dangerous on the break.

For the second week in succession, a high wind at Oriel Park made ball control very difficult and in the circumstances both sides performed reasonably well.

Jonathan Prizeman came close for Dundalk with a shot which was deflected over the bar off Paul Doolan, but mainly the central defence of Clive Delaney and Tony McDonnell kept Dundalk's scoring chances down to a minimum in the first half.

The game lightened up at the start of the second half and early on Sean Finn had a good chance but put the ball wide. UCD went in front in the 54th minute when John Martin opened up the home defence and laid a across into the box, which was missed by a number of players before it came to Michael O'Donnell to find the Dundalk net with a good shot.

Within 90 minutes Dundalk were a little fortunate to get back on terms when Martin Reilly crossed into the UCD box and Tony McDonnell, under pressure from Gary Haylock, turned the ball into his own net for an own goal.

After this Dundalk had their best period of the game and might have been in front but for some good saves from Barry Ryan, the first coming from a point blank shot by Haylock and then shortly afterwards a snap shot from outside the box by Reilly brought out the best in the visiting keeper.

Dundalk looked to be in front in 65 minutes when substitute Cormac McArdle crossed the ball into the goalmouth and Ryan fumbled it into his own net, but referee John McDermott ruled that Stephen McGuinness coming up from the back had committed an offence and disallowed the score.

DUNDALK: J Connolly, Hoey, Crawley, Calaghan, McGuinness, Flanagan, Kavanagh, Reilly, Haylock, Prizeman, S Connolly. Sub: McArdle for Calaghan (half-time).

UCD: B Ryan, Quinn, D Ryan, Doolin, Delaney, McDonnell, J Martin, Finn, R Martin, McNally, O'Donnell. Sub: K Martin for R Martin (73 mins).

Referee: J McDermott (Dublin).

Dundalk ... 1

UCD ... 1