UCD shrugged off last weekend’s defeat to Bray Wanderers with an excellent 2-0 victory over Bohemians at the Belfield Bowl. Goals from Stephen Doyle and Darren Meenan in the second half saw them emerge triumphant in a match Bohs dominated for long periods.

Bohemians' faint Airtricity Premier Division title hopes suffered a major setback after a 2-0 loss to the students. Doyle’s 58th minute strike gave UCD a 1-0 lead, his deflected shot looped over Bohs goalkeeper Barry Murphy. Meenan doubled the lead when after his first strike was blocked, he curled his second effort into the top right corner of Murphy’s goal.

The Gypsies lacked a cutting edge throughout the contest and were undone by two second-half goals from the Students who were in determined form despite not having anything to play for after securing their top tier status last week.

Killian Brennan had a headed effort disallowed in the first half for the visitors who remain seven points behind the league leaders, Sligo Rovers and Shamrock Rovers, while the Hoops also have a game in hand.

Perhaps with his eye on some of the bigger fixtures to come, Bohs boss Pat Fenlon made four changes to the team that beat Galway last time out, while Martin Russell made three changes to the side that started the defeat at Bray Wanderers.

The visitors had the first opportunity of the game after just four minutes when Anto Flood's cross was glanced wide by Aiden Downes.

A minute later UCD had a chance of their own but Michael Leahy's weak shot didn't trouble Barry Murphy.

Bohs were having a lot of joy down the right flank with Flood and Mark Rossiter getting crosses in that UCD keeper Mark McGinley, in for the injured Ger Barron, had to deal with.

Bohemians did have the ball in the net in the 19th minute when Killian Brennan headed Ger O'Brien's cross into an empty goal but the assistant referee flagged for offside.

Neither side managed to get a stranglehold in the midfield and while Bohs had more of the ball their central defenders wasted possession, hitting a number of hopeful balls up field.

With eight minutes left in the half, Robert Bayly tried his luck from distance but couldn't hit the target and five minutes later Brennan picked out Downes' run from deep but the striker failed to connect from 10 yards.

Five minutes into the second half the Students had a glorious chance to take the lead when Darren Meenan got in behind the Bohs defence. His inch-perfect pass found an unmarked Stephen Doyle who scooped the ball over the bar from eight yards.

The Students were beginning to enjoy more possession and in the 58th minute Graham Rusk held the ball up well for Doyle whose chip, with the aid of a deflection, flew over Murphy and into the back of the net.

It could have been two 10 minutes later when Meenan took advantage of Downes' hesitancy and found Doyle, again free in the box, but his header was too close to Murphy.

Straight after that Meenan forced Murphy to tip the ball over the bar with a shot from outside the box after good work by Paul O'Conor and Paul Corry.

At the other end Brennan found Flood with a driven cross but the striker couldn't direct the ball on target.

With seven minutes left Meenan secured the win for the home side with a beautiful, curling effort from outside the box that found the top right-hand corner.

Bohs continued to look for a way back into the game and Ger O'Brien hit the outside of the post with a header.

UCD could have added another in injury time but Murphy pulled off a fabulous save to deny Rusk and the Students had done enough at that stage to put an end to Bohs' four-game winning streak and to their title aspirations.

UCD: Mark McGinley; Hugh Douglas, David O'Connor, Michael Leahy (capt), Tomas Boyle; Paul Corry, Paul O'Conor, Robbie Creevy (Dean Marshall 30), Darren Meenan; Stephen Doyle (Samir Belhout 76), Graham Rusk.

Subs not used: Chris Lyons, Daniel Ledwith, Barry McCabe, Ger Barron, Mark Langtry

Bohemians: Barry Murphy; Mark Rossiter (Roberto Lopez 46), Aiden Price, Glen Cronin (capt) (Lee Dixon 49), Ollie Cahill; Ger O'Brien, Stephen Hurley (Christy Fagan 58), Killian Brennan, Anto Flood; Aiden Downes. Robert Bayly.

Subs not used: Stephen Traynor, Keith Buckley, Kevin Feely, Craig Sexton.

Referee: Damien Hancock (Dublin).