Kilkenny will play Wexford at the quarter-final stage after defeating 14-man Dublin by 2-20 to 1-16 at Parnell Park this afternoon.

Conor Martin (1-5) and Liam Blanchfield (1-2) netted for the winners against the run of play in the first half and the luckless Dubs - who will now meet Clare in next Sunday's winner-takes-all relegation decider - had to play the entire second half a man down after having goalkeeper Gary Maguire lined with half an hour on the clock

The Noresiders led by the minimum at the end of an exciting first half, 2-5 to 0-10,. TJ Reid and Chris Crummey traded the first two points and Ryan O'Dwyer edged the Dubs ahead before Martin netted in the seventh minute to give the Cats a 1-1 to 0-2 advantage. Donal Burke (free) swapped scores with Martin and the Dubs were level by the midway stage in the first half following points from Burke (free) and Cian Boland.

After Reid clipped over a free, the Dubs stepped up to the mark with a run of four points from Niall McMorrow, Burke (2) and Crummey. But disaster struck for the hosts in the 30^th minute when they conceded a second goal to Blanchfield and Maguire was red-carded for pulling across the Cats attacker; a Reid free restored the Black & Amber lead, 2-4 to 0-9. Burke ('65') and Reid (free) raised the last two points of an incident-packed opening period.

The visitors notched the first two scores of the second half through Blanchfield and Colin Fennelly but were rocked on their heels when Burke drew the Dubs level with a 36^th-minute goal. Dublin had the audacity to move ahead with a Burke's brace after Richie Hogan had temporarily restored Kilkenny's lead, but a Reid brace and points from Martin and Blanchfield left a goal between them again after 47 minutes, 2-12 to 1-12.

Crummey and Ben Quinn reduced the gap to the minimum and Reid landed another brace before Martin and Burke (free) traded scores as the margin stayed at three points with 13 minutes left.

With the scent of victory in their nostrils, the Black & Amber careered towards the winning line with further points from Walter Walsh, Reid (2) and Martin, who also cancelled out a late Burke '65' as the Cats - who are apparently in crisis - advanced to the last eight.

Kilkenny - E Murphy; P Murphy, P Walsh, C O'Shea; C Fogarty, J Cleere, S Prendergast; P Deegan, C Buckley; C Fennelly (0-1), W Walsh (0-1), TJ Reid (0-10, 5f, 1'65); L Blanchfield (1-2), R Hogan (0-1), C Martin (1-5). Subs: J Holden for P Walsh, P Lyng for R Hogan, K Joyce for C O'Shea.

Dublin - G Maguire; F O Riain Broin, E O'Donnell, S Barrett; C Crummey (0-3), L Rushe, C MacGabhann; D Fox, B Quinn (0-1); E Conroy, N McMorrow (0-1), R O'Dwyer (0-1); E Dillon, D Burke (1-9, 0-5f, 0-2'65), C Boland (0-1). Subs: C Dooley for E Conroy, F Mac Gibb for D Fox, R McBride for C MacGabhann, C O'Sullivan for C Boland, F Whitely for B Quinn.

Referee - P O'Dwyer.

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