Jason McClelland’s right-footed strike with 22 minutes remaining proved to be the difference between the two sides.
UCD had the better opportunities in the first half with McClelland and Timmy Molloy calling UCC keeper Cathal O’Hanlon into action in a tight opening period.
The second-half was a much dramatic affair with plenty of heart-in-mouth moments. Just moments after having a goal ruled out for offside, David Dalton struck a thunderous effort that beat Conor Kearns in the UCD goal and smashed off the crossbar. The UCD keeper was helpless when the shot rebounded off his back but fortunately for him, crept the other side of the post for a corner.
UCD had a wonderful opportunity of their own when substitute Yousef Mahdy danced through a number of challenges and squared it for Georgie Kelly but last year’s SSE Airtricity First Division top goalscorer could not guide the ball past O’Hanlon.
The Dublin side did make their opportunities count moments later when McClelland cut in off the left flank and struck with his less favoured foot into the bottom corner past the helpless O’Hanlon.
Both sides had opportunities to add more goals to the game with Liam Scales heading a corner off the bar and Dalton blazing over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
UCD have completed the CUFL and Collingwood Cup double for the third time after successes in 2007 and 2010.
UCC: Cathal O’Hanlon, David O’Connor, Ben McAuliffe, Sean McLoughlin, Sean O’Mahony, John Buttimer (Cian Leonard 74’), Ronan Hennessy, Garan Manley, David Dalton, David Hurley (Owen Collins 87’), Shane Daly-Butz.
UCD: Conor Kearns, Dan Tobin, Sean Coyne, Liam Scales, Maxim Kouogun, Gary O’Neill, Daire O’Connor, Greg Sloggett, Georgie Kelly, Timmy Molloy (Yousef Mahdy 58’), Jason McClelland.
Referee: Colin Duffy (Dublin)