Micko's men maul Lillywhites

Kildare 0-9 Laois 0-21

2003 champions Laois bulldozed through to next month's Leinster SFC final, dishing out a heavy 12-point beating to Kildare in the Croke Park sunshine today.

Mick O'Dwyer's side waltzed their way around the off-colour Lilywhites as their half-forward line of Ross Munnelly (0-7), Barry Brennan (0-4) and Billy Sheehan (0-2) dominated on the 40.

It was a summer-defining performance from the midlanders and a world apart from their fortunate quarter-final defeat of Offaly three weeks ago when they needed a late Munnelly goal to progress.

In a repeat of the 2003 Leinster final, Laois racked up the first four scores at headquarters from Munnelly, Brennan and tireless midfielder Noel Garvan.

Still, Padraig Nolan's Lilywhites, the conquerors of Leinster champions Westmeath in the last eight, came back into it swiftly. Mick Foley and Derek McCormack both notched a quick brace of points to leave their side trailing by 0-4 to 0-6 by the 20th-minute.

Despite having a goal disallowed in the closing minutes of the first half, Laois never waivered and hit six points without reply to lead 0-12 to 0-4 at the break.

They were soon 10 points to the good early in the second half - Sheehan, Chris Conway and Kevin Fitzpatrick helped themselves to overs as Kildare simply had no answer to the winners' scintillating brand of fast, direct football.

Kildare substitute Willie Heffernan and corner forward Tadhg Fennin kept the men-in-white interested, but with their previously free-scoring skipper John Doyle limited to just two points throughout, there was little Nolan's charges could do.

The only other notable action of this one-sided tie saw Laois substitute and Kildare corner back James Lonergan both sent-off for an off-the-ball clash.

The facile victory marked the O'Moore county's fourth success over Kildare in six championship meetings since 1984.