UCD guaranteed themselves premier division football next season thanks primarily to an explosive three goal spell, six minutes before the interval, which sunk relegation haunted Drogheda United without trace at Belfield Park yesterday.

Drogheda manager Jim McLaughlin described the encounter as a comedy of errors, such were the number of chances created and missed by both teams.

Early on Drogheda had looked well in control with Barry O'Connor twice going close before UCD opened their account in 38 minutes. Robert Griffin chased what looked a hopeless cause and whipped the ball in from the right wing for James Keddy to net from close range.

Then a long clearance by Seamus Kelly was expertly collected by Michael O'Byrne, who, provided the perfect ball for Ciaran Kavanagh to dance past two Drogheda defenders before planting the ball in the net from 10 yards.

Drogheda were sent into a further spin when Jason Sherlock grabbed a third goal for the students a minute before the interval. An error by goalkeeper John Grace, when he dropped a corner from Keddy, allowed Sherlock to tap home from close range.

Rubbing salt into the wound, College grabbed a fourth goal in 70 minutes when O'Byrne netted his 14th league goal of the season. A Keddy cross from the left was miscued by Sherlock, but O'Byrne was quick to react and he volleyed home perfectly from 10 yards.

Drogheda did have a consolation goal two minutes later. A Trevor Crolly cross from the left was flicked on by John Carroll for John Ryan to head home at the far post.