Dublin overturn Laois in low-scoring affair
It wasn't always pretty from Dublin at rain-drenched Parnell Park but Mattie Kenny's men dug deep to secure the win and top spot in Division 1B of the Allianz NHL.
A week on from their morale-boosting victory over Waterford when Dublin struck 1-26 in relatively good conditions, they trudged through muddy pools for 70-odd minutes this time and returned just 0-13.
But it was enough to get the job done as they fought back from a point down entering the 66th minute to turn it around with the last three points of the game.
Former All-Star Danny Sutcliffe got the first two of those late points while Sean Moran hit the insurance score in the 70th minute from a 65.
The win means Dublin are top of Division 1B after completing their five-match campaign though Galway could yet leapfrog them if they beat Waterford in their rescheduled match.
Hurling Division 1 Tables after today's Round 5 games. Three games were postponed.
— GAA League Tables (@GAALeagueTables) March 3, 2019
5 Quarter Finalists and Relegation Playoff decided. #gaa #allianzleagues #Clare #Cork #Kilkenny #Limerick #Tipperary #Wexford #Carlow #Dublin #Galway #Laois #Offaly #Waterford #gaaleaguetables pic.twitter.com/HHUSytioVS
Sutcliffe, who inspired Dublin against Waterford 0-4, had another strong game and sniped 0-3 this time while Liam Rushe and Moran put in huge displays in desperate conditions.
It was tough on Eddie Brennan's Laois who battled hard throughout and led for long spells but just couldn't finish it off.
They were reduced to 14 men in the 57th minute following Charles Dwyer's second booking and were outscored by 0-5 to 0-1 in the last 20 minutes of the game.
Dublin made a number of changes from the Waterford game including a call up for Sean Brennan who was terrific in goals, pulling off a string of fine saves.
Dublin were under real pressure initially and trailed by 0-7 to 0-3 after 16 minutes though Laois only added another four points in the entire game, and just two of those came from play.
Three David Treacy points from frees late in the first-half pulled Dublin back and they trailed by just 0-7 to 0-6 at the break.
Laois refused to throw in the towel and in a low scoring game struck three points in a row between the 40th and 49th minutes from Paddy Purcell, Dwyer and Mark Kavanagh to lead 0-10 to 0-8.
Dublin took over from there with Cian Boland, the lively Oisin O'Rorke, Sutcliffe and Moran all on the mark to secure their fourth win from five.
Dublin scorers: D Treacy (0-3f), D Sutcliffe 0-3 each, O O'Rorke, S Moran (0-2f) 0-2 each, J Hetherton, S Barrett, C Boland 0-1 each.
Laois scorers: M Kavanagh 0-4 (0-3f), C Dwyer 0-2, S Downey, W Dunphy, A Dunphy, E Rowland (0-1f), P Purcell 0-1 each)
Dublin: S Brennan; P Smyth, E O'Donnell, J Madden; D Gray, S Moran, S Barrett; J Malone, R McBride; J Hetherton, D Sutcliffe, D Treacy; P Ryan, L Rushe, D Burke.
Subs: O O'Rorke for Ryan h/t, C Boland for Malone 47, E Dillon for Burke 47, R Hayes for Hetherton 53, F Whitely for Treacy 64.
Laois: E Rowland; J Phelan, M Whelan, D Hartnett; P Delaney, R Mullaney, L Cleere; S Downey, W Dunphy; A Dunphy, M Kavanagh, C Dwyer; P Purcell, N Foyle, S Maher.
Subs: S Bergin for W Dunphy 24, J Kelly for Maher 52, P Keating for Foyle 62, C Phelan for Downey 73.
Referee: L Gordon (Galway).
