Cosgrove's return brings capital gain

Leinster SFC Semi-final/ Dublin 3-17 Laois 0-12: We'll see bigger games in Croke Park this summer, bigger crowds and more exciting football too. We just probably won't see as big a performance as Dublin produced here, nor as big an individual comeback to go with it.

What was widely billed as the Leinster semi-final too close to call turned into the most one-sided semi-final in years. Dublin won by 14 points in the end, their biggest wining margin over Laois since 1899.

Sure, Laois fell apart at the seams over time, but no matter how hard Paul Caffrey tried to close his ears afterwards, Dublin's performance that had the words "All-Ireland contenders" ringing loudly in its aftermath.

And, as if on cue, it was also a game that provided the GAA with a brazen salute to recent events in Germany. With 67,970 showing up for the early afternoon start this had big-time championship feel written all over it - in large, blue capital letters.

Once again, Dublin had single-handedly taken the football championship back to where it belongs, and left their supporters indulging outside the city's hostelries for the rest of the evening.

It was also the sort of Dublin performance few if anyone had predicted. After squeaking past Longford three weeks ago it was almost make-or-break time for this team, and who knows just what they'll make of it now.

What is certain is that Dublin won't be easily stopped this year, least of all in defending their Leinster title on July 16th.

It was definitely make or break for Ray Cosgrove. Recalled to the team for his first championship start in three years, the laid-back Kilmacud Crokes forward simply soared to the occasion - scoring 1-3 and playing a part in several other Dublin attacks. He's already in line for one of the goals of the year, and he's a certainty for comeback of the year.

"Ray Cosgrove hadn't gone away," said Caffrey afterwards. Well we thought he had. How quickly he reminded us that he hadn't. After two minutes Dublin's first scoring chance fell into his hands and for a split second we held our collective breath.

Cosgrove swung coolly to his right and chipped the ball clean between the posts. A beautiful score, and a mere hint of what was to come.

Twenty minutes later, with Laois having eased 0-4 to 0-3 in front, Cosgrove delivered a superb pass directly into his full forwards. The Laois backs got their wires crossed, the bounce favoured Jason Sherlock and he laid the ball off to Tomás Quinn, who promptly rattled the net. Cosgrove simply turned to the Dublin sideline and smiled.

Just before that move Laois midfielder Pádraic Clancy - their best player on the field - landed awkwardly when contesting a ball with David Henry. It was clearly a shoulder injury and before long Clancy was in the Mater Hospital being diagnosed with a broken collarbone. That loss proved a calamity for Laois because their whole game plan left the field with him.

Dublin sensed the gain almost immediately - with Conal Keaney thundering forward for a point - and never looked back. Despite scoring the next two points, Laois were soon watching their chances disappear as Dublin stamped their authority in every section of the field.

The half ended fittingly with Cosgrove adding his second point from play, having flicked the ball clear from the bath of Joe Higgins. This time he afforded himself a raised fist.

And Cosgrove's finest moment was to come. On 51 minutes some neat passing work from Quinn and Sherlock played the ball into Cosgrove's path. One bounce, one fist, one goal. This time Cosgrove simply collapsed to the ground in front of Hill 16, barely able to contain his delight.

Dublin were now up 2-12 to 0-8, and destroying Laois. Could they keep up? Well even if Mick O'Dwyer admitted afterwards his team "threw in the towel" there was no denying Dublin's determination to finish out the game in style - which they did.

Bryan Cullen delivered the complete performance at centre back, just confirming that as his truly natural position. Ciarán Whelan and Shane Ryan had a shaky start at midfield but once Clancy left the field they were in complete control. Their defence also took a while to settle but in the end looked as solid as they come, especially David Henry and Paul Casey.

Up front Keaney and Brogan showed their true class when needed and while Quinn did miss a couple of frees, he more than made up for them later, finishing off Dublin's third goal on 69 minutes after an unselfish pass from substitute Mark Vaughan.

It won't take long for O'Dwyer to figure out where it all went wrong for Laois. For a start his entire half forward line - Ross Munnelly, Chris Conway and Billy Sheehan - were replaced having coped hopelessly with the task of breaking into enough scoring positions. Sheehan was particularly disappointing but the goal chances that Laois desperately needed to stay in the game never even came close to materialising.

Their one and only chance came in the eighth minute when Clancy was clean through, only to shoot marginally wide of the posts. That miss - plus his pending injury - proved a microcosm of Laois's problems on the day. When Dublin are in the mood for a big championship performance few teams can stand in their way.

DUBLIN: 1 Cluxton; 2 D Henry, 3 B Cahill, 4 P Griffin; 5 P Casey (0-1), 6 B Cullen, 7 C Goggins; 8 C Whelan, 9 S Ryan; 12 K Bonner, 15 J Sherlock, 14 R Cosgrove (1-3); 11 A Brogan (0-2), 10 C Keaney (0-6, two frees), 13 T Quinn (2-3, two frees). Subs: 22 D Lally for Bonner (59 mins), 19 D O'Callaghan (0-2) for Sherlock (61 mins), 21 S Connell for Cosgrove (65 mins), 20 M Vaughan for Goggins (66 mins), 27 D O'Mahony for Ryan (70 mins).

LAOIS: 1 F Byron; 2 A Fennelly, 3 C Ryan, 4 P McMahon; 5 D Rooney (0-1), 6 T Kelly, 7 J Higgins; 8 P Clancy, 9 N Garvan; 10 R Munnelly (0-3, two frees), 11 C Conway (0-2), 12 B Sheehan; 13 D Brennan (0-1), 14 P Lawlor, 15 B McDonald (0-4). Subs: 22 B Quigley for Clancy (25 mins, inj), 19 R Stapleton for Fennelly, 27 G Kavanagh for Conway (both 51 mins), 23 D Murphy for Sheehan (54 mins), 18 B McCormack (0-1) for Munnelly (61 mins).

Referee: B Crowe (Cavan).