Dublin 1-20 Laois 2-15
The scoreboard operator had a couple of goes at this one, declaring a final scoreline of 1-20 to 2-13, much to the confusion of spectators, before altering it after full-time to 1-19 to 2-14. Eventually, the towel was tossed in altogether and the machine switched off.
Perhaps whatever bug had affected Dublin’s shooting radar, causing them to spray shots left, right and, rarely, to the centre, resulting in 18 wides which kept Laois in a Leinster SHC tie that should have been beyond them, had also spread to the scoreboard.
It sure made for a dramatic final few minutes with Dublin’s seven-point lead in the 70th minute whittled down to just two in the closing moments.
Donal Burke’s 0-13 haul, Alex Considine’s 62nd minute goal and Paul Crummey’s 70th minute point immediately after coming on - Dublin’s last score of the evening - all proved decisive in the end, though with a trip to Wexford in mind next Saturday, extra shooting practice may be required this week.
"It was a little bit frustrating the number of wides we hit and you could sense that frustration in the crowd as well," said Dublin manager Mattie Kenny. "We were in control of the game, we just needed to control it on the scoreboard which is an area we need to improve on."
Speaking of the scoreboard...
“I knew what was at stake, yeah,” confirmed Kenny as Laois, with just two points in it, threw the kitchen sink at it during those frantic, and slightly confusing, final minutes.
Goalkeeper Enda Rowland’s 72nd minute goal from a free helped cut the Dublin lead down to manageable terms and when Rowland was presented with another free right at the death, following Conor Burke’s foul on Fiachra C Fennell, victory was remarkably within Laois’ grasp.
This time, however, Rowland’s drive was diverted out for a 65 and the resulting speculative lob into the danger area came to nought.
Wides
“It’s composure,” said Kenny of Dublin’s skittish mood which resulted in 11 first-half wides and seven more after the break. “They were in good positions, they were maybe just rushing the shots, a little bit of nervousness in their shooting.
“We just need to relax. It’s like any sport, it’s like playing golf, hurling is the same, you’ve just got to relax on the stroke and see it through. It just wasn’t fully there. It’s something the lads will work on during the week, just getting that composure in those positions to execute.”
In contrast to Dublin, Wexford finished strongly against Galway elsewhere. Allied to home advantage, that momentum could prove crucial next weekend.
“They’re going to be a huge test for us,” acknowledged Kenny of Darragh Egan’s crew. “For the last five or six years, we’ve seen what Wexford bring. There’s a lot of passion, a huge passionate crowd down there. They’re a very fit and hard running team.”
Injuries continue to afflict Dublin. Former All-Star Liam Rushe was listed among the subs though Kenny said ‘these games are just that few weeks too early for him’. From last year’s Leinster final lineup, Cian O’Sullivan, Cian Boland, Daire Gray, Andrew Dunphy and Rian McBride were also missing.
“We’ve five or six of last year’s starting team out and we won’t have any of them back next week,” said Kenny. “Rian McBride was obviously suspended so he’ll be back at least.”
Laois, who travel to Kilkenny on Saturday, have their own issues. Stephen ‘Picky’ Maher, Willie Dunphy and Diarmaid Conway were already out. Podge Delaney (shoulder) and Ross King (hamstring) came off on Saturday.
They almost had a victory to console themselves with though it would have flattered them, even if they did lead 1-7 to 0-9 at half-time thanks to Mark Dowling’s goal.
Three Burke points from play nudged Dublin two clear in the third quarter and when Considine goaled the margin was out to five points. Soon it became seven. Then came that late Laois blitz.
DUBLIN: S Brennan; J Bellew, E O'Donnell, C O'Callaghan; J Madden (0-1), P Smyth, D Ryan; C Burke, C Crummey (0-1); D Sutcliffe, D Keogh, D Burke (0-13, seven frees); R Hayes (0-1), F Whitely (0-3), E Dillon.
Subs: A Mellett for Keogh (35-71 mins, blood), A Considine (1-0) for Dillon (61), P Crummey (0-1) for Sutcliffe (68), S Barrett for Smyth (69), Mellett for D Burke (71).
LAOIS: E Rowland (1-2, 1-2 frees); D Hartnett, S Downey, P Delaney; R Mullaney, L O'Connell, C McEvoy; FC Fennell, J Kelly; C Dwyer (0-1), P Purcell, J Keyes (0-2); R King (0-1), PJ Scully (0-8, five frees, one sidelinel), M Dowling (1-0).
Subs: A Corby (0-1) for King (49 mins), P Dunne for Delaney (56), B McGinley for Dowling (63), C Byrne for Dwyer (70).
Referee: L Gordon (Galway).
