FAI CUP: KILKENNY CITY - 2 DUNDALK - 3:Two goals in four minutes rescued Dundalk and fired them to victory at Buckley Park yesterday.

First division promotion chasers Kilkenny City bossed their premier division visitors during the opening half. They took the lead in the 28th minute when Alan O'Connor set up Philip Hughes for a cracking goal from 25 yards.

That score, Hughes's 15th of the season, which is a record for a Kilkenny player, didn't at all flatter the home side. They might have scored three times during the opening 13 minutes when Alan O'Connor, Tony Tynan and Peter Rogers tested Dundalk goalkeeper John Connolly.

However, after the turn Dundalk were surer at the back and their midfield began to dominate.

Still, they had luck on their side in the 48th minute when Kilkenny's David Mulcahy hit the crossbar from six yards.

Dundalk stole a goal in the 50th minute and suddenly their game came together. Cormac McArdle performed a bit of magic on the left wing and his cross looked to have been headed clear. But former Kilkenny player Jonathan Prizeman was lurking at the edge of the box and he blasted the ball into the net.

In the 54th minute Dundalk took the lead. McArdle blasted a shot towards the target and Gary Haylock flicked the ball into the net from the edge of the box.

The rampant visitors made it 3-1 in the 77th minute. Martin Reilly put the ball through for Ciaran Kavanagh, who hit the target from 18 yards on the right.

Kilkenny got one back in the 88th minute through Damian Brennan.

KILKENNY CITY: G Byrne, D Brennan, B Ricard, M Andrews, D Mulcahy, B Whelehan, P Hughes, P Rogers, A O'Connor, M Revins. Subs: B Jordan for O'Connor (70 mins); P O'Toole for Rogers (75 mins); G Brien for Revins (75 mins).

DUNDALK: J Connolly, D Hoey, D Cawley, D Broughan, S McGuinness, J Flanagan, C Kavanagh, M Reilly, G Haylock, J Prizeman, C McArdle. Subs: C Lawless for McArdle (65 mins); J Ryan for Reilly (86 mins).

Referee: D O'Hanlon (Waterford)