Dublin 0-18
Laois 0-8
DUBLIN’S DOMINANCE of the Leinster underage football grades continued in Netwatch Cullen Park this evening when they got the better of Laois in the U20 final.
It was the ninth time in 12 seasons that they claimed provincial glory in the U21/U20 championship as they proved too strong for a Laois side that faded after a bright start.
Laois raced into a 0-3 to no score lead early on with captain Ronan Coffey and goalkeeper Matthew Byron pointing frees.
But Dublin, who’d been delayed getting to the Carlow venue due to traffic on the M7, found their rhythm with wing-backs Rory Dwyer and Lee Gannon particularly prominent as well as their star man Ciaran Archer.
Archer kicked six points in the opening half as they took over and led 0-11 to 0-5 at the break.
The excellent Coffey reduced the gap for Laois early in the second half but Dublin always had too much and Kieran McKeown was particularly impressive in the second half as he finished with four points from play.
Laois were thrown a lifeline late on when they got a penalty but Mark Barry was unfortunate to see his effort go wide and Dublin eased to a 10-point win in the end.
They now go forward to play Ulster champions Tyrone or Donegal in the All Ireland semi-final on St Patrick’s Day in Croke Park.
Scorers for Dublin: Ciaran Archer 0-7 (three frees, two 45s), Kieran McKeon 0-4, Lee Gannon 0-2, Rory Dwyer 0-2, Sean Foran 0-1, Luke O’Dell 0-1, Conor Kinsella 0-1
Scorers for Laois: Ronan Coffey 0-4 (two frees), Matthew Byron 0-3 (all frees), Jack Owens 0-1
LAOIS: Mathew Byron (Courtwood); Michael Dowling (Portlaoise), Alex Mohan (Portarlington), Neil Keane (The Heath); Sean O’Flynn (Courtwood), Gary Saunders (Portlaoise), Jack Lacey (St Joseph’s); Barry Howlin (O’Dempsey’s), PJ Daly (The Heath); Ronan Coffey (Portarlington), Jack Owens (Emo), Damon Larkin (Portlaoise); Colin Slevin (Portarlington), Darragh Galvin (Portarlington), Mark Barry (O’Dempsey’s).
Subs: Dean Brophy (St Joseph’s) for Howlin (27), Sean O’Neill (The Rock) for Daly (42), Ross Bolger (Killeshin) for Lacey (47), Josh Lacey (St Joseph’s) for Galvin (50), Sean Michael Corcoran (Portarlington) for Larkin (53)
DUBLIN: Josh O’Neill (St Vincent’s); Alan Murphy (Lucan Sarsfields), Adam Rafter (Na Fianna), Josh Bannon (St Sylvester’s); Rory Dwyer (St Margaret’s), Adam Waddick (Thomas Davis), Lee Gannon (Whitehall Colmcilles); Killian McGinnis (Skerries Harps), Evan Caulfield (Clan na Gael Fontenoy); Mark Lavin (Lucan Sarsfields), Lorcan O’Dell Templeogue Synge Street), Sean Foran (Whitehall Colmcilles); Ciaran Archer (St Maur’s), Luke Swan (Castleknock), Kieran McKeon (Clontarf).
Subs: Aaron Fearon (Skerries Harps) for McGinnis (41), Padraig Purcell (Kilmacud Crokes) for Foran (45), Conor Kinsella (Kilmacud Crokes) for Bannon (47), Stephen Braiden (Thomas Davis) for O’Dell (54), Conor Tyrell (St Oliver Plunkett’s-Eoghan Rua) for Murphy (60)
Referee: Patrick Maguire (Longford)