It is still all to play for in the race for the Airtricity Premier Division title race as a dramatic last minute goal by substitute Keith Ward gave UCD a shock victory over leaders Shamrock Rovers in a pulsating, tense clash on Friday night at the UCD Bowl.

With second-placed Bohemians being held to a scoreless draw at home to Bray Wanderers, Rovers now lead Bohemians by five points with four matches to play. The clash of the two Dublin giants at Dalymount on Tuesday now takes on even greater significance.

Rovers will have to plan for that game without both Robert Bayly and Danny Murphy who both received red cards from referee Richie Winter in a stormy finish to the game.

But for a young UCD side, this tenth win of the season means they are now a comfortable four points clear of the relegation zone.

Rovers threatened early on when a Paddy Kavanagh corner on the right was headed just over the bar by cenral defender Craig Sives.

But it was the Hoops who had their noses in front on 19 minutes when Danny Murphy supplied a perfect ball to winger Neale Fenn on the right. His cross found ace marksman Gary Twigg at the far post and his powerful header gave 'keeper Billy Brennan no chance. It was the Scot's 18th league goal of the season.

College went close to an equaliser when Rovers 'keeper Alan Mannus failed to cut out a cross from the left allowing Ciaran Kilduff to get in a shot taken off the line by Danny Murphy.

The Students deservedly drew level on 33 minutes when ex-Rovers man Kilduff shot home his 13th goal of the season in a crowded area after Paul Corry had a shot deflected off the Rovers' wall with the visitors looking for an offside decision.

The Hoops almost grabbed the lead for a second time five minutes later when Fenn put Twigg in the clear on the right only for the striker to see his angled shot blocked and then grabbed by the alert Brennan.

Twigg missed a golden opportunity early in the second half when running clear of the home defence an attempting to round Brennan only for the 'keeper to get a vital touch. From the resulting rebound, Stewart shot over the bar.

Stewart was then the guilty party when with the goal at his mercy he shot over from eight vards after neat approach work between Fenn and Twigg.

UCD made the Hoops rue those missed chances when they went in front on 64 minutes when a corner on the left by Ward enabled Brian Shortall to climb above the visitors' defence to head home at the near post.

The drama continued with Rovers drawing level on 74 minutes when Chris Turner made no mistake with a penalty after Evan McMillan was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box. College protested long about the decision - the outcome being a yellow card for Greg Bolger.

And it still wasn't finished when College grabbed a sensational winning goal on 89 minutes  after substite Bayly was red carded for protesting too long after a foul on the edge of the box. The resulting free by Ward was curled into the net by from 20 yards past Mannus.

Then in added time Rovers night of misery was complete when Murphy became the second Hoops player to receive a red card after taking down Kilduff in full flight.

UCD: Brennan; O'Conor, Leahy, E McMillan, Russell (Shortall HT); Corry, Bolger, Mulhall (Ward 53) , Moore (Creevy HT); D McMillan, Kilduff.

Substitutes Not Used: Barron, Morrison.

Shamrock Rovers: Mannus; Murphy, Sives, Price, Stevens; Kavanagh (Dennehy 64), Bradley (Bayly 67), Turner, Stewart; Twigg, Fenn (Rice 86).

Substitutes Not Used: Jennings, Flynn.

Referee: Richie Winter (Wicklow).