UCD 0 Shamrock Rovers 0
Despite enduring a frustrating evening in Belfield, the four-in-a-row chasing Shamrock Rovers moved five points clear at the Premier Division summit with a scoreless draw against UCD.
Now 16 points adrift of Cork City with just five games left to play, this result also consigns the gallant students to relegation from the League of Ireland top-flight.
As expected, Rovers dominated possession from the very beginning of the contest with UCD struggling to make an attacking impact for the majority of the action. Yet with their goalkeeper Kian Moore making a couple of low saves from Neil Farrugia and Graham Burke in advance of Rory Gaffney missing a close-range opportunity, the deadlock remained unbroken at the interval.
With Andy Myler’s committed side continuing to dig in, Hoops manager Stephen Bradley introduced the experienced Aaron Greene 10 minutes after the resumption. The ex-Republic of Ireland Under-21 international hit the side-netting just past the third-quarter mark and Burke subsequently fired a shot marginally over the crossbar.
A breakthrough goal didn’t materialise for Rovers in the end, but with second-place Derry City losing out to Sligo Rovers in The Showgrounds, a sharing of the spoils keeps them well on course for a defence of their crown.
UCD: Moore; O’Regan, O’Brien, Clancy, Keaney, Curtis (Osam, 61); Brennan, Keane, Verdon (Barr, 81), Behan; Doyle (Kinsella-Bishop, 67).
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Mannus; Cleary, Lopes, Hoare; Farrugia, Watts (Greene, 55), O’Neill, Burt (Razi,); Burke, Clarke; Gaffney.
Referee: K O’Sullivan (Cork)