It's not so long since UCD were only too familiar with the late-season misery of the relegation battle. But their form of late, just one defeat in seven before this game, has helped transform them into serious contenders for a place in Europe. It's new territory for Martin Moran's lads and yesterday it showed.

Perhaps the greater sense of urgency provided by the threat of playing their football in the First Division next season would have helped the students to kill off a game they led from the 26th minute until the 70th.

Maybe not, but the prospect of participating in a UEFA competition, probably the Inter-Toto Cup, certainly didn't seem to inspire them. In the end, Galway United's determination not to leave Belfield without something to go towards their campaign for top flight survival was the biggest difference between these two sides yesterday.

When the hosts took the lead through Ciaran Martyn's close-range header the game looked to there for the taking. But, without a number of key players, UCD simply lacked the ability to turn their superiority over the following 20 minutes into anything worthwhile.

Their best chance during that period came from Martyn's 30-yard strike from the right that narrowly missed the target.

But United were unfortunate not to come in for the break level after Ollie Keogh and Fergal Coleman had been denied by Barry Ryan and then Robert McAuley respectively in a 44th-minute scramble.

After the turnaround, Don O'Riordan's side started to make all the running, but despite Eric Lavine's strong performance their lack of a natural - or at least regular - goalscorer to play alongside him was to cost them again.

If they had had one they might actually have nicked all three points, but as it was they had goalkeeper Eddie Hickey to thank for still being in a position to salvage a draw.

Twice Hickey had been forced into very good saves, once from Alan McNally and again from Eamonn McLaughlin. Sadly for McLaughlin, his role in the United goal, when he headed Gareth Gorman's ball back across the face of his own goal for Ollie Keogh to knock home from a couple of yards on 70 minutes, was more memorable than his shot at the other end.

It should have set things up for a cracking final 20 minutes. Instead, the home side dropped back in numbers and looked happy enough to take a point, and their visitors, even with Michael Donnellan on for Fergal Coleman, couldn't force Ryan into a save worthy of the name.

Either, or even both, of these sides could yet be left with cause to regret the loss of two points.

UCD: Ryan; McLaughlin, Lynch, McAuley, Mahon; Mooney, McNally, Kavanagh, Martin; Kilmurray, Martyn. Subs: Dunne for McNally (78 mins), O'Byrne for Kilmurray (85 mins).

GALWAY UNITED: Hickey; Neary, Foley, O'Connor, Morgan; Keogh, Keane, Sheridan, Gorman; Lavine, Coleman. Subs: Donnellan for Coleman (55 mins), Clery for Keane (82 mins), Ogden for Gorman (89 mins).

Referee: D O'Hanlon (Waterford).