UCD and Bray Wanderers played out a scoreless stalemate at the UCD Bowl on Friday night.
In a game of limited chances, both sides will have few complaints that they were unable to break the deadlock.
But the Students did at least close the gap on leaders Cork City to nine points after the Leesiders lost away to Athlone Town.
Bray have now moved ahead of Wexford in the table on goal difference after their loss against Finn Harps.
Coming into the game off the back of a 2-1 win over Wexford last weekend, Bray Wanderers elected to make three changes from their Ferrycarrig Park success.
The Students made one swap from their draw against Athlone Town, with Niall Holohan drafted in for Alex Dunne. But neither side caught the eye during a dour first half.
UCD had the first real effort on goal in the 19th minute when striker Hugh Parker curled a tame effort at Seagulls stopper McGuinness after some good play from Sean Brennan.
Cristian Magerusan then had an effort on goal easily saved by Students keeper Kian Moore, but it was never threatening the hosts rearguard.
The Sky Blues had the better of whatever chances the first half produced, with Parker glancing a header wide from a Brennan cross on the stroke of half-time.
Mikey McCullagh also had an effort blocked down on the edge of the box prior to that as the sides were level at the interval.
And it much of the same during the second half, with defences reigning supreme.
Ciaran Behan had UCD's best chance of another drab spell but he leaned back too much under pressure and skewed his effort on goal wide.
The UCD playmaker almost created the opening for a Students goal, but his cross to Jake Doyle was snuffed out by Cantwell.
From the resulting counter, the Seagulls pushed forward and forced a corner-kick, with Max Murphy taking it.
And from the set-piece, Murphy found his namesake Paul ,but he lifted his effort over the bar at the back stick.
The Students hit back well and forced an opening of their own soon after sub Doyle headed over from a fine Alex Dunne cross into the penalty area.
Magerusan then went close for the visitors as the closing stages of the game approached but he dragged his effort wide of goal after going on a fine run.
Bray piled the pressure on at the end of the game, with Freddie Turley forcing UCD netminder Moore into a routine save from distance.
But that was the last act of note as the sides ended the game ended as a stalemate in Dublin 4.
UCD: Kian Moore; Ciaran Behan, Éanna Clancy, Niall Holohan, Adam Wells; Seán Brennan, Ronan Finn (Adam Verdon 81), Donal Higgins (Alex Dunne 74), Mikey McCullagh (Stephen Mohan 81); Hugh Parker (Danú Kinsella-Bishop 74), Michael Raggett (Jake Doyle 61).
Bray Wanderers: Stephen McGuinness; Killian Cantwell, Kieran Cruise (Callum Thompson 65), Paul Murphy, Max Murphy, Zach Nolan; Guillermo Almirall Peñalver (Conor Knight 76), Darren Craven, Harry Groome, Freddie Turley; Cristian Magerusan.
Referee: Alan Franklin.
Elsewhere in the second tier, Cork City’s unbeaten run ground to a halt away to Athlone Town.
Tim Clancy’s men fell to a 1-0 defeat in the Midlands, with Jamar Campion-Hinds first-half hit proving to be the difference between the two sides.
The Leesiders also finished the game with 10 men after former Derry City midfielder Evan McLaughlin was dismissed after receiving two yellow cards.
Cobh Ramblers also recorded a 1-0 win at home to Munster rivals Kerry.
Striker Matthew McKevitt scored for the Rams to see them over the line and move them to within three points of fifth-placed Bray.
Finn Harps ran out 1-0 winners at home to Wexford as 20-year-old Sean O’Donnell was on hand to claim all three points for Darren Murphy’s side.
Treaty United snapped their near three-month winless run with a victory over basement side Longford Town at the Market’s Field.
The Shannonsiders were without a league success since 1 March 1 but managed to get over the line against the Red and Black, with Mark Byrne netting the winner.
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