The UAE made 133 for seven after opting to bat first, Swapnil Patil leading the way with 31 and Mohammad Shahzad (22), Rohan Mustafa (20) and Amjad Javed (19) unable to build on their starts.
Boyd Rankin finished with three for 17 from four overs, his final wicket that of Javed after the newly appointed captain had blasted a couple of sixes in his 12-ball knock.
The tourists looked well on course to chase down 134, having amassed 61 by the time the first wicket – that of Paul Stirling, for 28 – fell at the end of the seventh over.
But, with the score on 91, Stuart Poynter’s departure for 10 sparked a spell in which Ireland lost eight wickets for just 35 runs.
Captain William Porterfield looked assured in compiling 72 from 60 deliveries at the top of the order, but, when he was run out by wicketkeeper Patil, the writing was well and truly on the wall.
UAE bowlers Mohamamd Naveed (2-16), Ahmed Raza (2-19) and Mohammad Shahzad (2-10) all starred with the ball.
Ireland finished on 128 for nine to come up just short of securing a series-clinching victory.
