O'Dwyer puts onus on youthful experience

Laois' footballers may have gone trophy-less since 2003's Leinster title win, but manager Mick O'Dwyer is confident his young charges can make the difference in Sunday's provincial decider.

This is the third successive year that O'Dwyer and company have made it to the final rung of the Leinster ladder, yet their two-point success over Dublin two years ago still stands out as their sole piece of recent silverware.

Dublin are their final opponents again this weekend, and Paul Caffrey's outfit have been motoring along nicely. But O'Dwyer has undoubted faith in his team, which is unchanged from their semi-final trouncing of Kildare and contains 10 of the victorious 2003 final side.

The Kerryman warned: "We're not coming to Croke Park to make up the numbers on Sunday and have a bit of fun. We are coming to win."

Although 2003 stands out as their only provincial crown since 1946, O'Dwyer's young squad is well used to big Croker occasions - 1998 saw the O'Moore county bag the Leinster Under-21 title, while four Leinster minor titles and three minor All-Irelands have been secured in the last nine years.

"If you look at our current team's age - it is from 26 down with the exception of goalkeeper Fergal Byron," added O'Dwyer, who began his inter-county career as a player back in 1954.

"They are a young side and they are a side which has been improving all the time. Many of this Laois team have been coming to Croke Park for the last six or seven years - they know every blade of grass.

"We have definitely improved from the Offaly match, when we were lucky to get through. Dublin are a good side too and I believe they have been playing with a very good spirit and a good fire and it has the makings of an excellent Leinster final."

Will it be third time lucky for O'Dwyer, and a second Leinster title? The bookmakers are not in agreement - Dublin are current favourites, with 10/11 the going rate.