Dublin 0-13
Laois 0-11
Paul Keane reports from Parnell Park
MATTIE KENNY’S DUBLIN came good late on for the second Sunday running at Parnell Park to finish their Allianz NHL Division 1B campaign on a high.
Trailing with just minutes to go, as they were at the same venue against Waterford seven days ago, Dublin once again reeled off the crucial scores to secure an important win.
Back to back points from former All-Star Danny Sutcliffe and one from Sean Moran, who had a powerful game at centre-back, ultimately got the job done for Dublin.
It’s their fourth win from five and leaves them top of Division 1B and they will retain that position if Waterford beat Galway in their outstanding game.
What’s certain is that Dublin are through to the quarter-finals and they will advance with a pep in their step after showing all their skill to beat Waterford and all their substance this time to get the better of a determined Laois.
Eddie Brennan’s visitors played out the last 15 minutes or so with just 14 men following Charles Dwyer’s 57th minute red card for a second caution.
The two-point defeat was tough on Laois who battled gamely throughout and led by four points at one stage in a low-scoring game though they still also qualify for the knock-out stages.
They’re through to the quarter-finals as the fourth placed team in 1B courtesy of Offaly’s win over Carlow elsewhere.
They started with gusto and roared 0-7 to 0-3 ahead after 16 minutes thanks to a series of long range points.
They only scored four more points in the game though, and just two from play, as the conditions deteriorated with three converted David Treacy frees leaving Dublin just 0-7 to 0-6 down at half-time.
A burst of three Laois points in a row between the 40th and 49th minutes from Paddy Purcell, Charles Dwyer and Mark Kavanagh left them 0-10 to 0-8 ahead.
But Dublin’s greater urgency in the closing stages, and their extra man, allowed them to outscore Laois by 0-5 to 0-1 in the last 20 minutes or so to claim the spoils.
Scorers for Dublin: David Treacy 0-3 (0-3f), Danny Sutcliffe 0-3, Oisin O’Rorke 0-2,Sean Moran 0-2 (0-2f), John Hetherton 0-1, Shane Barrett 0-1, Cian Boland 0-1.
Scorers for Laois: Mark Kavanagh 0-4 (0-3f), Charles Dwyer 0-2, Sean Downey 0-1, Willie Dunphy 0-1, Aaron Dunpny 0-1, Enda Rowland 0-1 (0-1f), Paddy Purcell 0-1.
Dublin
1. Sean Brennan (Cuala)
2. Paddy Smyth (Clontarf)
3. Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille)
17. James Madden (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
4. Daire Gray (Whitehall Colmcille)
6. Sean Moran (Cuala)
7. Shane Barrett (Na Fianna)
8. Jake Malone (Cuala)
9. Riain McBride (St Vincent’s)
12. John Hetherton (St Vincent’s)
11. Danny Sutcliffe (St Jude’s)
10. David Treacy (Cuala)
13. Paul Ryan (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
14. Liam Rushe (St Pat’s, Palmerstown)
23. Donal Burke (Na Fianna)
Subs:
22. Oisin O’Rorke (Kilmacud Crokes) for Ryan (h/t)
20. Cian Boland (St Oliver Plunketts Eoghan Ruadh) for Malone (47)
15. Eamonn Dillon (Naomh Fionnbarra) for Burke (47)
24. Ronan Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes) for Hetherton (53)
25. Fergal Whitely (Kilmacud Crokes) for Treacy (64)
Laois
1. Enda Rowland (St Lazarian’s, Abbeyleix)
2. Joe Phelan (Camross)
3. Matthew Whelan (Borris in Ossory Kilcotton)
4. Donncha Hartnett (Mountmellick)
7. Padraig Delaney (The Harps)
6. Ryan Mullaney (Castletown)
5. Lee Cleere (Clough Ballacolla)
9. Sean Downey (Ballinakill)
13. Willie Dunphy (Clough Ballacolla)
10. Aaron Dunphy (Borris in Ossory Kilcotton)
11. Mark Kavanagh (Rathdowney Errill)
8. Charles Dwyer (Ballinakill)
12. Paddy Purcell (Rathdowney Errill)
14. Neil Foyle (Borris in Ossory Kilcotton)
15. Stephen Maher (Clough Ballacolla)
Subs:
24. Stephen Bergin (Clough Ballacolla) for Willie Dunphy (24)
17. Jack Kelly (Rathdowney Errill) for Maher (52)
25. Patrick Keating (Rosenallis) for Foyle (62)
20. Conor Phelan (Castletown) for Downey (73)
Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway)
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Meanwhile Offaly claimed a 4-8 to 1-10 success over Carlow in the day’s other Division 1B hurling league tie. Joe Bergin struck 2-3 and Shane Dooley bagged 2-1 for a side that were in front 1-5 to 0-6 at the break. Seamus Murphy hit Carlow’s only goal late on while Martin Kavanagh was their top scorer with 0-6. The result means the two sides will face each other in the relegation play-off next weekend to determine who will drop to Division 2A for next year.
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