Laois make amends with win over Dublin

Dublin 0-14 Laois 4-14, Nowlan Park

Laois made amends for last year’s Leinster SHC quarter-final replay loss to Dublin by firing four goals past the outclassed Metropolitans today at Nowlan Park.

Paudie Butler’s men, odds-on before the start to progress, booked a quarter-final date against Wexford at Croke Park in three weeks’ time as corner forward Damien Culleton banged home two goals in either half.

Culleton was sharp from the off and his third-minute goal fired Laois towards a 3-03 to 0-09 half-time lead. Dublin, who started with championship debutants in Greg Bennett at corner back, and Magnus Breathnach and Stuart Mullen in the full-forward line, rallied briefly as Ronan Fallon and Emmett Carroll helped themselves to three of the Dubs’ five unanswered points.

Humphrey Kelleher’s men led at 0-06 to 1-01 before a James Young penalty and a Liam Tynan major shortly before the break saw them back to their best.

Butler’s charges, with Brian Campion impressing on his first championship start, powered clear on the restart, outscoring the Dubs by 1-11 to 0-05.

Young tallied up a personal tally of 1-09, with all bar two of his points from placed balls, and Culleton's second goal early into the second half saw the result never in doubt.

Fallon, Carroll and David Curtin did emerge with some credit up front for Dublin.