Some frantic defending by UCD in the second-half deprived St Patrick's of third place in the table in a match that never came to life.
UCD right-back Tony McDonnell was first to dampen down the premature cheers of the Richmond Park faithful when he cleared a Trevor Molloy header off the line six minutes after the break.
Then, five minutes from time, Shane Harte thought he was through on goal from Martin Russell's excellent ball, only for the ever-alert UCD goalkeeper Barry Ryan to beat him to it after sprinting 35 yards from his line to clear.
UCD, who failed to get one shot on target in the whole game, might then have snatched all three points a minute from time when Ken Kilmurray put Ciaran Kavanagh in on goal, but the midfielder held his head in his hands after scuffing his shot wide.
UCD's early probing clearly troubled St Patrick's, so much so they made a change after only 14 minutes with Paul Osam coming into midfield for an unhappy Barry Prenderville.
It appeared to work as Liam Buckley's side took a firm grip on the game until the break.
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Wood; Broughan, Lynch, Hawkins; Croly, Gormley, Prenderville, Russell, Doyle; Molloy, McNevin. Subs: Osam for Prenderville (14 mins), Harte for Gormley (72 mins).
UCD: Ryan; McDonnell, Delaney, Lynch, Mahon; Martin, Kavanagh, Martyn, Mooney; Bennis, Kilmurray. Subs: Fitzpatrick for Bennis (64 mins).
Referee: A O'Regan (Cork).