UCD will perhaps feel they deserved a little more out of this game which was contested in bitterly cold conditions at Belfield last night.

Certainly on the amount of chances created the scoreline scarcely did justice to the home side.

Ultimately it was down to the predatory instincts of Sligo striker Padraig Moran to salvage a point for Sligo, who finished strongly in the final 20 minutes.

Martin Moran, the newly appointed UCD manager, was hoping to extend the students' winning streak to three games. But there was little to chew on in a lack lustre first half.

Nonetheless the students did find the back of the net on 21 minutes through Ken Kilmurray; but the ball had already gone over the deadball line by the time he had got his shot in.

The introduction of Glen Fitzpatrick for Eoin Bennis seemed to do the trick for UCD who looked a far more lively outfit after the break. And on 57 minutes Brian Mooney sent over a tempting cross from the left which Ciaran Martyn just failed to connect with.

But they did not have to wait long after that when centre half Aidan Lynch delivered an unstoppable shot past Nick Brujos on 59 minutes.

Sligo could easily have gone further behind but for Jim Sheridan's alertness heading Kilmurray's effort off the line.

In the next attack, Sligo struck when Moran availed of a through ball from Glen Shannon before beating Barry Ryan with a low strike on 69 minutes for his eight league goal of the season.

UCD: Ryan; O'Donnell, Delaney, Lynch, Mahon, Martyn, Kavanagh, Martin, Mooney, Kilmurray, Bennis. Subs: Fitzpatrick for Bennis (half-time).

Sligo Rovers: Brujos; Bonnar, Sheridan, Rossiter, Gray, Gilroy, McInnally, Finlay, Davey, Moran, Shannon. Subs: Marshall for Davey (69 mins); El Khaliffi for Gilroy(87 mins).

Referee: P McKeon (Dublin).