Dublin 0-16 Laois 1-7The clash of National League champions, Laois, and the reigning Leinster champions, Dublin, was played in heavy rain at Dr Cullen Park, Carlow.
Laois opened with two points from Tracey Lawlor before Mary Nevin got Dublin off the mark. Laois full forward Sue Ramsbottom found the net to put Laois ahead, 1-3 to 0-0. After 20 minutes Laois suffered a setback when Kathleen O'Reilly was stretchered off.
Dublin came more into the game and having trailed by five points after 15 minutes they found themselves leading 0-8 to 1-4 at the interval.
With 15 minutes remaining Dublin led 0-13 to 1-4 and in the final quarter points from Mary Keogh, Lawlor and Ramsbottom narrowed the gap. But Dublin finished in style for a a comfortable victory.
DUBLIN: T O'Connor; S Farrelly, M Farrell, L Keegan; O Colroney, N Hurley, N McEvoy; A McNally (0-2), B Finlay; M Nevin (0-12), M Kavanagh, G Fay; A McCormack, L Kelly (0-1), E Murphy. Subs: S Aherne for A McCormack.
LAOIS: B Deegan; P Fogarty, A Connolly, G Western; G Dunne, M Casey, L Buggy; A Casey, K O'Reilly; T Lawlor (0-4), S Ramsbottom (1-1), A O'Loughlin; M Keogh (0-1), M Kirwan (0-1), E McEvoy. Subs: M Phelan for K O'Reilly; C Casey for E McEvoy; Martha Kirwan for L Buggy; S Cuddy for A O'Loughlin.
Referee: Frank Mullins (Carlow).
