UCD ended St Patrick's Athletic's outside chances of the Premier Division title ended with a late winner at UCD Bowl.

A last minute goal by Darren Meenan gave in-form Students a narrow victory and now their fifth home league win in a row in an exciting Premier Division clash.

With former UCD boss Pete Mahon in charge of St.Pat's and no fewer than eight ex-College players in the Inchicore side's starting line-up, this was always going to be a closely contested affair.  

St Pat's had an early chance when midfielder Ian Daly slipped a clever ball through to striker David McMillan whose first time effort was well saved by College 'keeper Mark McGinley. Then a snap shot from Paul Crowley was well saved by the diving McGinley.

Derek Doyle went close to breaking the deadlock on the half hour with a curling shot brilliantly pushed round the post by the diving McGinley at full stretch.

The keeper again came to the rescue of the home side when blocking a Sean O'Connor effort eventually cleared by Daniel Ledwith for a corner.

College first threatened when Meenan had a shot finger-tipped over the bar by Saints keeper Gary Rogers.

Perhaps against the run of play, College took the lead on 38 minutes following a quick corner on the right by Paul Corry.

Meenan was then able to float over a cross into a crowded goalmouth to allow the unmarked David O'Connor to get in a glancing header past Rogers.

Seconds before the interval the visitors might have equalised when McMillan burst through the home defence only for McGinley to perform more heroics when pushing the striker's effort away for a corner.

St Pat's were level two minutes into the second half when a cross from the right by Anto Murphy was blasted home from close range by David McMillan with the College defence in disarray.

Meenan and Paul O'Conor both squandered chances for the home side with defences ruling the roost in an evenly contested second period until that last minute drama with Meenan firing home from 25 yards after Ledwith had created the opening.

UCD: McGinley; Douglas, D O'Connor, Leahy, Ledwith; Marshall (Clarke 78), Corry, P O'Conor, Meenan; Belhout (Benson 59), Rusk.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Shortall (Pender 72), Kenna, E.McMillan, Bermingham; Doyle, Crowley, Daly (Bradley 78) S O'Connor, Murphy; D.McMillan (J O'Connor 88).

REFEREE: N Doyle (Dublin).