DUBLIN 1-11 LAOIS 1-8
Dublin minor hurlers successfully jumped their first hurdle in Saturday's Leinster MHC against Laois in Parnell Park.
The Dubs finished the game out the stronger with the accuracy of Sean Currie in attack steering them to victory. The Na Fianna sharpshooter scored five points from play and two from deadball.
The O'Moore County men 1-8 to 1-7 inside the last eight minutes and Dublin were down to 14 following the second yellow card to Kevin Burke.
But it was Fintan Clandillon's side who showed the greater will to win going down the home straight.
Sean Currie converted a '65' and followed up with two key points from play before Jason Byrne added the extra insurance.
Dublin trailed 1-5 to 1-6 at the interval. They had got the dream start with a Sean Currie point and goal from Kevin Desmond in the fourth minute.
However, Laois' top-scorer Oisin Bennett rocked the Dubs with a 15th minute goal and they added the next three points, two from Bennett and another from Padraig Delaney (free) to lead 1-6 to 1-4 before a Sean Currie free left the minimum between them at the break.
SCORERS - Dublin: S Currie 0-7 (0-1f, 0-1 ‘65’), K Desmond 1-0, E O’Neill, L Murphy, E Allen, J Byrne 0-1 each. Laois: O Bennett 1-6 (0-4f), J Keyes, P Delaney (0-1f) 0-1 each.
DUBLIN: C O’Donoghue; A Dunphy, B McHugh, T Glynn; K Burke, L Walsh, M Grogan; B Coffey, D Ó Floinn; M Murphy, E Allen, E O’Neill; S Currie, K Desmond, L Murphy. Subs: D Keogh for M Murphy (38), J Byrne for Allen (42), E O’Donnell for O’Neill (51), B Ryan for L Murphy (61).
LAOIS: C Dunne; J Maher, D Breen, D Conway; R Murphy, P Delaney, E O’Connor; PJ Daly, L Senior; J McCormack, J Keyes, D Comerford; O Bennett, C Comerford, J Phelan. Subs: C Duggan for D Comerford (blood, 37-40), B McGinley for Phelan (45), Duggan for McCormack (54), E Gaughan for Senior (58), C Rigney for Daly (60).
REF: K Brady (Louth).