Cockhill Celtic player-manager Gavin Cullen was content with a point from their top-of-the-table joust against Letterkenny Rovers.
Despite bossing the game, Cockhill had to settle for a share of the spoils after a scoreless draw.
“I’m happy with the point,” Cullen said.
“We went out to win the game and put it to bed, but it wasn’t to be.
“I was happy with how we bossed the game, especially in the second half.
They had one cleared off the line, but they didn’t really hurt us apart from that and we held them at arm’s length.
“We really upped it in the second half and looked like scoring every time we went forward.”
The teams remain deadlocked on 35 points at the top of the table. Cockhill, who have won the League and Cup double in each of the last six seasons, have the advantage of a game in hand.
After a week in which the USL bid farewell to Swilly Rovers – who withdrew last Monday night from participating – Cullen insisted that the intermediate grade must be retained.
He said: “It’s not about the League. It’s about football in the north-west and having a top tier, whatever it is.
“It’s too big of a gap from junior to senior. It’s the level of commitment and the extra training, the experience you gain at intermediate level that gets you more ready for senior football.”
Letterkenny Rovers manager Eamonn McConigley remains bullish about his side’s chances of pipping Cockhill to League honours.
He said: “We had to get some kind of result. There are still four or five games left. We have to live in hope. We’ll just keep at it. Nothing is won yet and it won’t be until the trophy is lifted.”