Champions have little trouble in disposing of Laois

After just 18 seconds, this game was finished as a contest

IT WAS a night that ticked every box – apart from the anticipated sell-out. The Dubs got out of the capital and were in full voice, splashing Kilkenny in colour. They sang and chanted all evening as their players, occasionally, touched sublime heights on the field.

And Laois restored some pride in a spirited second-half display, giving some grounds of optimism to the chasing pack in the process. The official attendance of 16,654, more than 8,000 less than the capacity, was a sign of the unhappiness in Laois at the choice of venue and within the first minute, the decision of those to stay away looked wise.

Victory was never a possibility for Laois. Their only hope was to avoid a hammering. But within 18 seconds of throw-in, that already looked a forlorn hope.

Brian Fenton out-muscled John O’Loughlin as the ball was thrown in, launched a missile-like long ball into the full-forward line and Paul Cotter’s unfortunate slip allowed Dean Rock the time and space to rifle the ball past Graham Brody. Eighteen seconds on the clock and the game was over.

Gary Walsh shrugged off the attentions of David Byrne a moment later and bissected the posts, in an effort to settle the team down. But 30 seconds later, the ball was in the Laois net again.

Cluxton found James McCarthy with a pinpoint kick-out. The wing-back stormed through the middle before feeding Connolly, who buried the ball past Brody. The goal was simplicity itself, a snapshot of all that is great about this side.

Even allowing for the chasm in talent and skill between these two teams, the workrate, athleticism and sheer desire of Dublin was far superior in the first-half.

Jim Gavin does not only possess the most gifted set of footballers in the country, they are also the hardest-working. At one point early in the first-half, with the game already over, Connolly could be found back in his own half-back line, foraging for dirty ball.

By the 11th minute, with Rock massaging the scoreboard to such an extent that the scoreboard was having trouble keeping up, it was 2-4 to 0-1 and the game was over. Rock scored 1-10 in a splendid performance and was afforded a standing ovation by the Dublin supporters when he was taken off. In their rare foray forward, Laois were swallowed up by Dublin’s defensive screen, marshalled by Cian O’Sullivan. Donie Kingston was showing well and won a couple of balls, but he had little joy – his 17th minute point ending the a barren spell of six scoreless minutes and brought the Laois tally to two points. Paul Cahillane nailed a free to leave the scoreline 2-4 to 0-3. Laois would never get that close again. Ciaran Kilkenny and McCarthy were at the hub of everything and the pair were involved in the 20th minute, setting up Connolly for a splendid point. It hardly seemed possible but Laois’ night got even worse, and their task far more difficult, in the 27th minute.

John O’Loughlin and Michael Darragh Macauley were having a niggly battle all night and when the latter hit the deck around the 40, referee Ciaran Branagan brandished a red card on the advice of his linesman with blood pouring from Maculey’s face.

Kilkenny, who would score four points and was a busy presence for the entire game, and Connolly nailed a couple of splendid scores before half-time, to leave Dublin 2-12 to 0-7 up at the break. It was already only a question of how much.

Whatever Mick Lillis said at the break did its job, though. Laois played like a team determined to restore some pride and offered a bit of hope to the chasing pack in how they penetrated the Dublin defence in the opening 10 minutes of the restart.

Firstly, Damien O’Connor burst from his own defence to break the cover in Dublin’s rearguard. Johnny Cooper had no option but to haul him to the ground. The referee signalled a penalty but inexplicably gave Cooper a yellow card, rather than black.

Cahillane stepped forward to execute superbly. A couple of minutes later, Kingston, who was making a nuisance of himself when given the right delivery, beat three Dublin defenders to a high ball, slipped a fine pass to an on-rushing Stephen Attride, who rifled the ball into the roof of Cluxton’s net.

Eleven minutes into the secondhalf, and there was the chance of a reasonable contest, especially when Ross Munnelly came off the bench to nail a lovely point.

Dublin regrouped and Gavin patrolled the touchline safe in the knowledge he has players who can settle things down when they look like going awry – Connolly steadied the ship with two sublime points.

Kingston, Damien O’Connor and Darren Strong, who powered forward from centre-back, to hit a lovely score, all did their bit for Laois. They avoided a hammering and that was all they came here to do.

Dublin were able to call ashore their only two forwards who didn’t score, Bernard Brogan and Paul Mannion, during the second-half. Gavin and his players have high and exacting standards. If you don’t reach them, your place is at risk. Con O’Callaghan made a cameo from the bench and got a reward for his lively display with a late point.

Dublin even had the luxury of Connolly missing a penalty towards the end. It didn’t matter as everyone got what they came for. Dublin stretched their legs and their supporters added a bit of colour. Laois avoided a hammering. Everyone will move on, content.