A 61st minute goal from Alex Consadine finally gave Dublin the egde over Laois in a tight Leinster Clash
Dublin 1-20
Laois 2-15
Parnell Park, Dublin
The Dublin Senior Hurlers may well breath a sigh of relief coming away from Parnell Park tonight with a 2 point win over Laois in their Leinster Hurling Championship. But boss Mattie Kenny will take a lot from this evening’s tight contest.
Substitute Alex Considine’s 61st minute goal settled a misfiring Dublin, who hit as many as 18 wides throughout the game. And the goal from Considine looked like it was over for Laois with 2 quick points putting seven between the sides. But the O’Moore men battled back with Jack Keyes and Cha Dwyer hitting point before keeper Enda Rowland rocketing a free into the Dublin net in added time.
PJ Scully, Laois top scorer sent a point over a minute later. And when Fiachra Fennell won another free in a dangerous position, Rowland stepped up again for the conversation. This time the shot was blocked out for a ’65 which was cleared with Dublin hanging on for the win.
Wides Scurge Dublin’s opening half efforts
Laois took a 1-07 to 0-09 lead from the first half, with Dublin shooting 11 wides which ultimately could have made a masive difference to the scoreline. The sides were level on 3 scores each when Mark Dowling pounced on a long range ball from Ciaran McEvoy to net Laois’ first goal. Dublin responded with scores from Donal Burke (3) and Fergal Whitely.
Just as they regained control though PJ Scully pointed twice. And a long range conversion from Rowland put parity to the scoreline once more. Scully finished the half with a score in stoppage time to give Laois the advantage.
Dublin head for Wexford in Round 2, and Mattie Kenny will need his charges to be sharper with their crosshairs when shotting for the posts.
Dublin Scorers:
Donal Burke 0-13 (8f)
Fergal Whitely 0-03
Alex Considine 1-00
Chris Crummey 0-01
James Madden 0-01
Paul Crummey 0-01
Ronan Hayes 0-01
Laois Scorers:
PJ Scully 0-8 (6f)
Enda Rowland 1-02 (1-02f)
Mark Dowling 1-00
James Keyes 0-02
Cha Dwyer 0-01
Ross King 0-01
Aidan Corby 0-01
Dublin:
Sean Brennan
John Bellew
Eoghan O’Donnell
Cian O’Callaghan
Donnacha Ryan
Paddy Smyth
James Madden
Conor Burke
Chris Crummey
Donal Burke
Davy Keogh
Danny Sutcliffe
Eamonn Dillon
Fergal Whitely
Ronan Hayes.
Dublin Substitutes:
Aidan Mellet for Keogh (blood sub 33, reversed 70)
Alex Consideine for Dillon (60)
Paul Crummey for Sutcliffe (68)
Shane Barrett for Smyth (69)
Aidan Mellet for Whitely (70)
Laois:
Enda Rowland
Donnchadh Hartnett
Ciaran McEvoy
Sean Downey
Podge Delaney
Liam O’Connell
Ryan Mullaney
Jack Kelly
Fiachra C Fennell
Cha Dwyer
Paddy Purcell
James Keyes
Ross King
PJ Scully
Mark Dowling.
Laois Subs:
Aidan Corby for King (48)
Pauric Dunne for Delaney (55)
Brandon McGinley for Dowling (63)
Ciaran Byrne for Dwyer (70)
