Winning goal sees Laois through

Laois 1-11 Derry 0-11

The wily Mick O'Dwyer worked his magic once again at Croke Park, where Laois came from behind to book their place in the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals.

The O'Moore men looked in deep trouble when they trailed by four points at half-time after failing to get any attacking momentum going.

But O'Dwyer freshened up his offensive unit and turned the game around, with substitutes Stephen Kelly and Gary Kavanagh crafting and executing vital scores, and in midfielder Noel Garvan, he had the sort of inspirational figure he needed to turn the game around.

Early scores from centre back Tom Kelly and Ross Munnelly gave Laois a promising start, but despite enjoying territorial supremacy for much of the opening quarter, they failed to make it count.

Munnelly looked menacing, but after he hit his second point from play in the 18th minute, Sean Marty Lockhart was assigned to shadow the O'Moore danger man, and the threat was immediately diminished.

Even when presented with relatively easy placed ball opportunities, Munnelly failed to deliver.

It was point for point throughout the opening 22 minutes, with Enda Muldoon, Paddy Bradley and Paul Murphy on target for the Ulstermen.

But the final 10 mnutes of the half belonged to Mickey Moran's side. With Fergal Doherty growing in strength at midfield and wing backs Francis McEldowney an Padraig Kelly increasingly influential, they took the game to the beaten Leinster finalists, and after Kelly had put them in front for the first time in the 25th minute, further scores followed from Johnny McBride and Murphy, before Bradley showed his class with two gems.

Padraig Clancy pulled back a late point, but Derry enjoyed a double scores, 0-8 to 0-4, advantage at the break.

But the sides were level within seven mintues of the restart. First Noel Garvan crossed for Billy Sheehan to palm home a goal, before substitute Stephen Kelly hit the equaliser.

The lead gained by Laois through another sub, Gary Kavanagh, didn't last for long, youngster Mark Lynch easing the Oak Leafers back in front at the beginning of the final quarter, with the game still hanging on a knife-edge.

But Laois had the answers, and with Garvan and Padraig Clancy getting on top at midfield and Kelly ever willing to press forward, they took the game fearlessly to their opponents.

Points from Munnelly and Donie Brennan opened out a three points gap with just five minutes to play, and Derry just had nothing more to offer

Laois: F Byron, A Fennelly, D Rooney, J Higgins, C Begley, T Kelly (0-1), P McMahon, N Garvan (0-1), P Clancy (0-1), R Munnelly (0-4, 1 free), K Fitzpatrick, B Sheehan (1-1), D Brennan (0-1), S Cooke, C Conway.

Subs: G Kavanagh (0-1)for Cooke, S Kelly (0-1) for Fitzpatrick, B McDonald for Conway, M Dunne for Brennan

Derry: B Gillis, K McGuckin, K McCloy, G O'Kane, F McEldowney, SM Lockhart, P Kelly (0-1), Patsy Bradley, F Doherty, P Murphy (0-2), E Bradley (0-1), J McBride (0-1), M Lynch (0-1), Paddy Bradley (0-4, 1 free), E Muldoon (0-1, free).

Subs: C Gilligan for Murphy, Pauric Murphy for Muldoon, P Wilson for Kelly, C Devlin for E Bradley