Laois make Dubs fight for Leinster crown

Dublin 0-14 Laois 0-13

Magical 'Mossie' Quinn hit the deciding point in the second minute of injury-time as Dublin edged a gallant Laois side for the Leinster SFC title in a Croke Park cracker.

The St Vincent's marksman showed the nerveless steel that has backboned Paul Caffrey's Dubs this summer to strike over a winning '45 from the left flank, and end the comeback dreams of the Ross Munnelly-inspired midlanders.

In front of 81,025 spectators, Munnelly, who hit five points, drove Mick O'Dwyer's side on in the latter stages of a Delaney Cup decider that ebbed and flowed in exciting fashion.

Laois, in their third successive Leinster final, had almost capitulated in the opening half.

Two Chris Conway points was all they had to offer in the early exchanges and the Dubs raced clear into a 0-7 to 0-2 interval lead.

Twenty minutes into the second half, the sides were incredibly locked level at 0-8 apiece.

Caffrey's men proved to be the more resilient - first moving 0-11 to 0-8 in front before coming from 0-11 to 0-13 behind to win and claim the capital's 45th Leinster crown.

The Dubs were out of the traps early and led 0-3 to 0-1 after ten minutes thanks to efforts from Conal Keaney, Quinn and former Under-21 captain Bryan Cullen.

Jason Sherlock evaded his marker Joe Higgins to point off his left on 12 minutes and confirm the dominance of the 2002 champions.

Still, an increasing amount of wides crept into the leaders' game.

They mustered eight by the finish of the first half - there were two late wayward frees from eventual hero Quinn - and were gradually made to pay in the second half.

Injury also forced skipper Paddy Christie off for the Dubs on 20 minutes, but points from Cullen again, Stephen O'Shaughnessy, showing no signs of his shoulder injury, and Ciaran Whelan handed Caffrey's side a five-point buffer.

Nonetheless, two points apiece from Conway and Munnelly had the game squared up at 0-8 apiece on 50 minutes.

Cullen and Laois midfielder Noel Garvan, who had increased his influence in the second half, exchanged overs before Brogan and Sherlock, with his fist, put the Dubs 0-11 to 0-9 in front.

Another wave of attacks from Laois washed over the Dublin defence and two Munnelly efforts, a single from sub Donie Brennan and another from Conway pushed the midlanders two points in front.

Collie Moran chipped in with a neat score on 65 minutes to get the Dublin bandwagon up again, and two crucial Quinn hits in the closing minutes - the second a left-sided '45 in the second minute of five injury-time minutes - saw former Dublin selector 'Pillar' Caffrey confirmed as a Leinster winner in his first season in charge.

Scorers: Dublin: T Quinn 0-4 (0-3f, 0-1 '45), B Cullen 0-3, J Sherlock 0-2, S O'Shaughnessy, C Whelan, C Moran, A Brogan, C Keaney 0-1 each.

Laois: R Munnelly 0-5 (0-2f), C Conway 0-4 (0-2f), N Garvan, D Brennan 0-2 each.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; P Griffin, P Christie, S O'Shaughnessy; C Goggins, B Cahill, P Casey; C Whelan, S Ryan; C Moran, B Cullen, C Keaney; J Sherlock, A Brogan, T Quinn. Subs: S Connell for Goggins, P Andrews for Christie, D Homan for Ryan.

LAOIS - F Byron; A Fennelly, D Rooney, J Higgins; C Begley, T Kelly, P McMahon; P Clancy, N Garvan; R Munnelly, B Brennan, B Sheehan; C Conway, K Fitzpatrick, B McDonald. Subs: D Brennan for B Brennan, D Conroy for Rooney, M Dunne for McDonald.

Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan).