UCD stretched their unbeaten league run to six games with a fourth victory out of five courtesy of Alan McNally's second-half winner as Cork's season of promise peters out to nothing.

The only goal came on 56 minutes. Half-time substitute Greg O'Dowd's cross in from the right took a deflection of a defender to loop over to the back post where midfielder McNally arrived unmarked to head over the line for the easiest of his five league goals this season.

Cork, who went into the game with a tenuous chance of finishing third, were thus left to rue a bad miss just minutes before.

Ollie Cahill chipped a free-kick over the UCD wall to pick out Noel Hartigan, but the big striker miscued his shot which was easily cleared. In essence, it was an uninspiring match played in atrocious conditions of driving wind and rain.

Despite having nothing to play for, with their Premier Division status for next season already secured, UCD's endeavour won out in the end over a Cork side that have won just once in six games.

UCD: B Ryan; Quinn, Delaney, Purdy, McAuley; J Martin (O'Dowd half-time), Doolin, McNally, D. Ryan (Grogan 65 mins); R Martin (McDonnell 83 mins), Martyn.

CORK CITY: Devine; Bennett, Daly, Coughlan, Horgan; Cahill, O'Halloran, O'Grady, C T O'Brien; Mulligan (Morley 57 mins), Hartigan (C P O'Brien 57 mins).

Referee: D Hanney (Dublin).