UCD 0 Derry City 0Dublin proved something of a happy hunting ground for Derry last year as they mounted a title challenge that survived all the way to their final game of the campaign. To date, though, it is their day trips to the city that have done most to dent their attempt to improve on the runner-up spot they achieved then.
There may be no great cause for alarm. Stephen Kenny's side have, after all, won every game outside Dublin to date and have at least one game in hand on all rivals.
But last night's rather jaded draw at Belfield Park follows slip-ups at Dublin City and St Patrick's Athletic, and with results elsewhere going against them it cost them one place in this morning's premier table.
Derry made three changes to the side that coasted to victory over Blarney United in the cup last week, UCD two to the team that stumbled past Kilkenny City. For all the tinkering, though, both sides looked short on ideas.
City, of course, came looking for the win that would maintain their recent momentum but they looked uncertain from the outset in the face of some determined defending - neither Mark Farren nor Stephen O'Flynn troubling Darren Quigley or his defence much for the first hour.
Ciarán Martyn's form of late marked him out as a particular threat too and, like O'Flynn he scored in Derry's 2-0 win over the students on the opening day of the season. But having been deputised to man mark the former UCD favourite, Gary Dicker coped rather well with his opponent's runs from midfield.
He lost his man only once, indeed, during the first half but was fortunate then that Seán Hargan's low cross from the left was fractionally mistimed. That aside, the closest Quigley came to conceding was when he came to head the ball just outside his area and failed to get the required force behind the clearance. On this occasion too, however, City failed to take advantage.
The missed chances might well have proven even more costly for the visitors. Goals have been something of a problem for this UCD side but eight of their 11 in the league this season have come in their last three home games. Had they been just a little more composed midway through the first half they surely would have added to the tally.
Tony McDonnell, such an importance influence in central midfield now he is fully fit again, posed the initial threat with a header that was blocked short of the target.
It was to Patrick McWalter that the better chances fell. The young striker turned his first shot directly into the torso of David Forde from close range and then managed only a weak follow-up, which Peter Hutton cleared off the line.
Aware perhaps that his side's three main rivals for the title were meeting less resistance elsewhere, Kenny overhauled his attack during the second half, replacing both strikers and throwing on Kevin Deery for Killian Brennan with Pat McCourt switching to the left wing.
None of it made much difference, though. The Northerners certainly looked the more anxious for the win late on but it was again the students who came closer to grabbing a goal, McDonnell this time seeing his header helped behind by the head of a Derry defender in a densely packed goalmouth.
From that point on Pete Mahon's side looked content to settle for the draw, and Derry City, who must return to Dublin on Tuesday for a rescheduled game with Shelbourne, simply weren't capable of depriving them of the point.
UCD: Quigley; Mahon (Matthews, 39 mins), Shortall, McNally, Kenna; Hurley (Finn, 85 mins), McDonnell, Dicker, Ryan (Cawley, 70 mins); McWalter, Sammon.
DERRY CITY: Forde; McCallion, Hutton, McChrystal, Hargan; McCourt, Molloy, Martyn, Brennan (Deery, 81 mins); O'Flynn (McHugh, 60 mins), Farren (McHugh, 72 mins).
Referee: P Tuite (Dublin).
