Outstanding Archer downs Laois as Dublin claim the Leinster U-20 title

A final haul of 3-8 for Dublin's talisman forward Ciaran Archer downed a brave Laois side in the Leinster decider at O'Connor Park this evening to see cup return to the capital.

Laois 0 - 17 

Dublin 4 - 18

EirGrid U-20 Leinster Football Championship final 

*In association with Blue Sky Financial Portlaoise

Laois trailed by six points at the interval as Dublin struck for 1-3 in the ten minutes before the break, Dublin's talisman forward Ciaran Archer helping himself to 1-3 of that tally with the goal coming from a poor kick-out from Matthew Byron. Laois battled away in the second-half, but a clinical Dublin added three more goals before the final whistle.

Dublin dominated the opening stages to storm into a four-point lead following points from Karl Lynch Bissett, Sean Lambe and a Ross McGarry free before Ciaran Archer slotted his first of the day six-minutes in.

Laois settled themselves with a Diarmuid Whelan free after a foul on Alan Kinsella. Michael Doran followed with a contender for score of the game with a beauty from the outside of his right boot to halve the deficit.

Archer stepped up to nail a tricky free from a tight angle for the Dubs but Laois came to life and hit the next four on the hop to see them take the lead for the first time in the game. Diarmuid Whelan showed great control to latch onto a free before sending over Laois' next, Alan Kinsella played a clever one-two with Ronan Coffey before splitting the uprights as the momentum was with Laois.

Eoin Dunne claimed the kick-out and found Whelan sent over a stunning score for Laois, and he hit another from a free a minute later to push Laois into the lead. 

Dublin hit 1-5 in a row to reclaim the lead, Archer accounting for 1-3 with the goal coming after 24 minutes after a stray kick-out from Matthew Byron.

Laois closed out the half strongly with points from Coffey and a free from Barry to close the gap to six points as they entered the dressing rooms for half-time.

Dublin reopened the scoring inside the first minute, Brian O'Leary grabbing his second of the day. Laois replied with the next three points, Whelan hitting a free before Mark Barry and Alan Kinsellla reduced the Laois arrears.

Ciaran Archer let loose in the three minutes that followed to bag 1-2, two frees either side of a rebounded goal for the St Maur's clubman. 

Laois looked to keep themselves in contention with Eoin Dunne slicing over a superb point from the outside of his left and Whelan sent over a point a minute later as Laois narrowed the gap back to six with 14 minutes to go.

Dublin hit their third goal shortly after through wing-back Kieran Kennedy, and then Laois were denied by a superb save from David O'Hanlon on Diarmuid Whelan. Laois were reduced to fourteen men eight minutes from time when Colin Slevin received his marching orders.

Dublin's fourth and final goal arrived from the penalty spot five minutes from the end - Ciaran Archer sending goalkeeper Matthew Byron the wrong way to complete his hat-trick. Dublin rattled off another three points through James Doran (2) and McGarry.

Laois battled right up until the final whistle with Whelan hitting a brace of frees either side of a Niall Dunne point, but Dublin deservedly ran out thirteen-point victors to claim the title.

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*See Tuesday's Leinster Express Sport for full coverage

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LAOIS

Scorers: Diarmuid Whelan 0-8 (0-6 frees), Alan Kinsella and Mark Barry (0-1 free) 0-2 each, Ronan Coffey 0-1, Michael Doran 0-1, Jack Owens 0-1, Eoin Dunne 0-1, Niall Dunne 0-1.

Team: Matthew Byron (Courtwood); Michael Dowling (Portlaoise), Seamus Lacey (Ballylinan), Alex Mohan (Portarlington); Colin Slevin (Portarlington), Sean O’Flynn (Courtwood), Dean Brophy (St Joseph’s); Robert Tyrell (Camross), Eoin Dunne (Rosenallis); Mark Barry (O’Dempseys), Michael Doran (Killeshin), Ronan Coffey (Portarlington); Alan Kinsella (Courtwood), Dan McCormack (O’Dempsey’s), Diarmuid Whelan (Ballyroan-Abbey). Subs: Jack Owens (Emo) for Doran (36 mins), Niall Dunne (Courtwood) for McCormack (38 mins), Jason Maher (Portlaoise) for Coffey (48 mins), Kevin Byrne (Ballylinan) for Lacey (55 mins), Ross Brennan (Portlaoise) for Brophy (57 mins), Jack Lacey (St Joseph's) for Mohan (57 mins).

DUBLIN

Scorers: Ciaran Archer 3-8 (1-0 pen,0-7 frees), Kieran Kennedy 1-0, James Doran 0-3, Ross McGarry 0-2 (0-1 free), Brian O'Leary 0-2, Karl Lynch Bissett 0-1, Sean Lambe 0-1, Niall O'Leary 0-1.

Team: David O’Hanlon; Darren Maher, Daire Newcombe, Eoin O’Dea; Kieran Kennedy, Neil Matthews, Sean Lambe; Peadar O’Cofaigh Byrne, Donal Ryan; Niall O’Leary, Karl Lynch Bissett, James Doran; Brian O’Leary, Ciaran Archer, Ross McGarry. 

REFEREE: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)