Dublin find plot just in time

The revolution has been quelled, for another year anyway. Dublin defeated Laois at Croke Park yesterday, thus preserving a historical trend which has lasted a century and their own somewhat shaky championship aspirations.

True, they gave a vastly improved account of themselves compared to their fretful hour in the drawn match but their effectiveness continues to be undermined by patches of gross untidiness in loose play and once again, having moved into what looked like an unassailable position they threatened to disintegrate. The significance of Dublin's progression to a Leinster final meeting against Meath must be measured against the fact that Laois were confined to 14 men throughout the second half - their corner forward and place-kicker Damien Delaney was dismissed on 34 minutes for foolishly lashing out at Paul Croft after a fairly innocuous clash.

His departure once again required manager Tom Cribbin to demonstrate his adroitness in the field of positional nous and he bravely reassembled his side, replacing full back Declan Rooney with attacker Chris Conway, redeploying midfielder George Doyle to the defence and pushing Hughie Emerson, who had been playing at centre forward, in to full forward.

The theory was that Emerson might hit gold up front but with the attacker isolated on the fringe, Laois couldn't win a ball at midfield. Instead, Brian Stynes consolidated his midfield worth with a faultless performance and Dublin reeled off a series of scores - mainly through the boot of Declan Darcy - which pushed them into the comfort zone. Though Dublin, of course, were reluctant to stay there.

Laois were listless and uncertain for the first 15 minutes of the second half. They trailed 0-6 to 0-13 after an Ian Fitzgerald free after 50 minutes, but Dublin visibly flagged at this point and suddenly there was a game on. The tireless Mick Lawlor and substitute Noel Garvan began to plunder ball and, with no attempt to disguise their actions, thumped long ball towards Emerson.

The response of the enigmatic forward shot some electricity through a hitherto mundane game. Conway drilled a point to leave seven between the teams and then Emerson embarked upon a virtuoso turn. Taking a pass from Fitzgerald, he curled a point on the run and then, in the next possession, he reclaimed a lost cause and bludgeoned through a wall of blue to win a free. Fitzgerald popped it over.

Two mintues later Emerson latched onto a stray pass by Stephen Kelly, dashed into space and nailed another point. In a flash, Laois were just four points down. The Laois crowd, still beside itself with indignation at the dismissal of Delaney, was now feverish. When Fitzgerald stepped up to land a 45-metre free the finish of the season to date seemed imminent.

But Dublin regrouped admirably. Stynes covered an immense amount of ground defensively when Dublin were stretched and drove home three fine points, his final two defining the game.

After 67 minutes Jason Sherlock toe-poked a ball for Ian Robertson, who hit Stynes in space and he dropped it over the bar to leave matters at 0-15 to 0-11. Sherlock then won a free from the kick-out and Dublin came again, with Dessie Farrell presenting a neat pass for Stynes to collect and hammer the point which finished Laois. Their late penalty, well converted by Conway, was just gloss.

The first 20 minutes had left the sides indistinguishable statistically. Stynes and Tony Maher thundered against each other in the middle and Ian Robertson again highlighted his vivid intelligence in possession, firing four points from play and persistently supplying players in space. At the other end, Laois's Stephen Kelly was burning Thomas Lynch, prompting Tom Carr to bring in Peadar Andrews, who did much to subdue the corner forward.

Sherlock, nerve-ridden initially, gradually began to add to Dublin's stop-start attack and an hour of busy running and vital touches ought to end the search for a regular suitor to the number 15 jersey. Jim Gavin and Keith Galvin mucked in admirably and Darcy was normally at the heart of Dublin's more streamlined moves.

Laois's gameplan had begun to unravel before they lost Delaney, but their recovery, while too slow in sparking, illustrates how close they are to the big time. George Doyle, corner back Patrick Conway and Lawlor were immense for their team while Emerson's two points doesn't reflect his overall influence on the match. Stephen Kelly dazzled over the first quarter hour but eventually suffered for want of possession. Despite Laois's spirited resurrection in the final 10 mintues, a goal was a prerequisite if they were to entertain any serious thoughts of a positive result but it was Dublin who came closest first, with Sherlock snapping first-time on a loose ball, forcing Fergal Byron to parry brilliantly after 53 minutes.

Laois's goal eventually came through a pass from substitute Brian "Beano" McDonald to Kelly. Davy Byrne saved but in the goalmouth scramble referee Seamus Prior spied an infraction. Time was done anyway.

Laois, then, must again cling to the painful consolatory premise that they have much to build on. Dublin's coltish, uneven run continues, even if there remains some mystery as to where they stand. Meath, bigboned and primed, will only be too delighted to try and provide some clarity in this regard.