UCD boss Andy Myler revealed that goalkeeper Lorcan Healy couldn't remember the final minutes of the first half in Monday night's clash with Shamrock Rovers - after saving a goal with his head.
Healy, 22, received treatment but felt he was OK to play on after Rory Gaffney's piledriver caught him straight in the face, denying the Hoops striker a goal in the 35th minute at Tallaght Stadium.
However he was withdrawn at half-time and replaced by Kian Moore. "Lorcan got a really bad knock, but saved a goal," explained Myler.
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"To be honest, he got to half time and couldn’t remember the rest of the half so we’re probably quite lucky there.
"He seemed fine obviously after the initial contact but we’ll put him through the proper protocols and hopefully he’s alright. But we probably got away with one there."
Moore stepped in and made some excellent saves to keep UCD in the game as they chased a 1-0 deficit to the final whistle.
"Kian has been fantastic and we have been rotating keepers over the last while," said Myler.
"We have two really good young keepers at the club and they both need to develop so we’ve used that method of five or six games each.
"Kian has been brilliant and even last week, in the FAI Cup game, he was probably our best player. But he came out of the team again - not based on performance, but just how we’re doing it."
The Students remain one point above Finn Harps, who occupy the automatic relegation spot and, after praising a brave defensive performance from his side on Monday, Meyler said he hopes it inspires his players to keep going in their bid to avoid the drop.
"Listen, we’re fighting for our lives and that’s where we have to start with at this stage of the season," he stressed.
"You can see the guys are scrapping with every inch that they have to stay in the division so we’re not going to ask any more than that.
"You’ll get nights like this where teams like Rovers have access to any amount of quality with people on the pitch, whereas we’re in a different place where guys are just starting off.
"We’re proud of them as a group, how they acquitted themselves - and we have to play Rovers one more time before the end of the season so who knows, we might need a point or a win from that.
"It gives them the belief that they can get close to getting it."
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