Birthday boy Damien Duff branded his Shelbourne team ‘masters of confusion’ after their Befield display.
And the Ireland legend, who turns 43 today, has cancelled celebrations as he wants to iron out issues ahead of Friday’s clash with Derry City.
The fact a rogue sprinkler and a wheelbarrow were the main talking points from Monday's game tells you all you need to know about the scoreless draw.
Play was held up for eight minutes after a sprinkler on the pitch went off in the 73rd minute before UCD official Tony Sheridan covered it with a wheelbarrow.
But the water pressure was so great that the wheelbarrow went airborne before Sheridan was successful at his second attempt using his body to weigh it down.
Reds boss Duff said: "I'd say the most exciting bit was the sprinklers. It definitely was for my son who was in the crowd.
"What did we learn from it? Away from football, never put a wheelbarrow on a sprinkler. "Football wise, not a lot from my guys. They were just disappointed.”
After a bright start, the game became increasingly scrappy with Shels in particular running up blind alleys.
Duff’s team have banked four points from nine going into Friday’s Tolka Park encounter with the Candystripes.
And he said: “There’s a way of playing and they've been brilliant regardless of the result against St Pat’s (3-0 defeat on the opening night) where they played well.
“They played well in spells in Drogheda on Friday but on Monday we were masters of confusing the game.
"We would be a really structured team in our position and how we move the ball. One and two touch, dribble when you can, whereas on Monday it was just chaos.
“UCD are really well organised but if you can't score after 10 or 12 minutes you stay calm. You keep working the ball, working the opposition.
"But everything seemed complicated, whether it was tiredness or even mental fatigue because we’re on them all the time.”
But Duff continued: “We're there for them 24-7 whether it be good, bad or indifferent. There are no issues and they've been absolutely amazing for 10 or 11 weeks.
“Monday was probably the first game where there has been a lack of quality but it has been a fairly good start.
“I hear people saying it could have been five or six against Pat's - f*****g nonsense! On another night we win that game.
“It just shows the standards around the club now and the way they want and hope to play. But that was poor on Monday.
Three games into his senior managerial career and Duff is relishing the role even if the birthday celebrations are on ice after cancelling a day off today.
“It's non stop,” he said. “You just get pissed off with yourself because you're never off a laptop. It's the way of the world. But you have to be on it, watching the opposition.
"It's my birthday and if I wasn’t in this job, I'd probably be having a two or three day party. I was going to say bender, but I don't drink much.
"Listen, It's a good focus. I'm enjoying it. We're all loving it but we all went home disappointed on Monday because we know we can do better."
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
