Patrick Hoban wrote his name into the Dundalk FC history books with a hat-trick that equalled Joey Donnelly's all-time scoring record of 142 goals for the club as the Lilywhites overcame an early scare to comfortably see off UCD at Oriel Park.
Stephen O’Donnell’s side were left shell shocked when the basement club took a seventh minute lead through Jake Doyle.
However, Hoban ensured this would be no banana skin with a brilliant treble and the assist for Daniel Kelly’s goal that made it 2-1 just before half-time as the Louth men claimed their first win in five games.
The home side almost hit the front after just 53 seconds when Darragh Leahy got on the end of Ryan O’Kane’s free kick but he couldn’t keep his header down as it flashed just over.
Kelly then forced a low stop from Kian Moore before the Students took a shock lead on seven minutes.
A short header back by Andy Boyle was seized upon by Doyle, who rounded Nathan Shepperd before slotting to the bottom right hand corner despite Louie Annesley’s presence on the line.
Dundalk went in immediate search of an equaliser and almost found it on 13 minutes when Leahy got on the end of another O’Kane set piece - this time flicking his corner just over.
Johannes Yli-Kokko was then denied by Moore before winning his side a penalty on 23 minutes when he was caught in the follow through of Alex Nolan’s attempt to clear. Hoban, who was denied from the spot by Lorcan Healy when these sides drew 1-1 at Oriel Park on the opening night, then stepped up to send Moore the wrong way with a cool finish to the bottom right hand corner.
Kelly, starting his first back-to-back matches since last July, then had two chances in quick succession to put the home side ahead but fired wide from Cameron Elliott’s lay off on 25 minutes before heading over from Leahy’s cross two minutes later.
Kelly then turned provider on the half hour mark when he kept Boyle’s long punt forward alive before crossing to the inrushing Elliott, who saw his downward header pushed behind by Moore.
The lead goal did arrive four minutes before the break with Hoban heading a loose ball inside the box down for Kelly to race onto and slot home from close range to make it 2-1.
The lead was then doubled within eight minutes of the restart when Hoban met Archie Davies’ cross with a bullet header that gave Moore no chance.
There was almost a fourth then on the hour mark as O'Kane cut in off the left onto his right foot to get a low shot away that beat Moore but came back off the inside of the post.
Davies then played Elliott in three minutes later but he was denied at point blank range by Moore.The record-equalling goal did arrive on 69 minutes when Hoban met Leahy’s cross for what was his fifth hat-trick for the Lilywhites.
Dundalk had numerous chances to add to their lead after that but Greg Sloggett saw his effort hooked off the line by Danu Kinsella Bishop before Moore made a brilliant point blank save from substitute John Martin.
Dundalk: Nathan Shepperd; Archie Davies (Hayden Muller 78), Andy Boyle, Louie Annesley, Darragh Leahy; Daniel Kelly (Keith Ward 71), Greg Sloggett (John Martin 78), Johannes Yli-Kokko (Connor Malley 80), Ryan O'Kane; Cameron Elliott, Patrick Hoban (Paul Doyle 71).
UCD: Kian Moore; Harvey O’Brien (Ryan Bowden 59), Jack Keaney, Evan Osam; Michael Gallagher, Adam Wells, Brendan Barr, Daniel Norris (Kyle Donoghue 59); Alex Nolan (Daniel Babb 59), Ciaran Behan (Danu Kinsella Bishop 9); Jake Doyle.
Referee: Damien MacGraith (Mayo).
