Possession, on the football pitch, can sometimes be far less than nine tenths of the law, especially when the opposition is as patient and persistent as this Laois minor team, which gained their third successive Leinster football championship title on their favourite stage, Croke Park.
For three-quarters of an unpredictable match, Dublin's advantage in possession was fairly pronounced, but this was not shown on the scoreboard. A cast-iron Laois defence, in which right wing back Aidan Fennelly of Portlaoise was typical of its "thou shalt not pass" attitude, never looked likely to concede the sort of goals that unhinged the Dublin cover.
Michael Clancy benefited twice from Dublin's defensive shortcomings. His two goals were the defining features of a match that left Dublin playing catch-up football.
And Laois forward Brian "Beano" McDonald celebrated a third successive Leinster final success by landing seven points, three from frees. Brian Fitzpatrick, another of last year's All-Ireland-winning team, gave a classic performance at midfield.
The first of Clancy's opportunist goals came in the final minute of the first half when Dublin, playing against the wind led 0-5 to 03. Dublin goalkeeper Colin Clarke, challenged by Fitzpatrick, failed to claim a ball on the fringe of the square and it ran loose to Clancy, who drilled home from close range.
By the eighth minute of the second half, Dublin, thanks to Wayne McCarthy's accuracy, had transformed their interval deficit of 0-5 to 1-3 into a two-point advantage, 0-8 to 1-3. Then Clancy struck again. Fitzpatrick made a great 60-yard run, and when his lobbed centre was muffed by a Dublin defender, Clancy collected and buried from close range.
The introduction of Mark Dunne and John Michael McDonald by the Laois selectors in the second half made a real difference. Dunne was particularly industrious, running at the unsure Dublin defence.
Laois now join Louth and Dublin as the only counties to have won three successive Leinster minor football titles.
laois: W Moran; R Jones, B Gaynor, C Clear; A Fennelly, P Leonard, B McCormack; J Behan, B Fitzpatrick; K Kelly, J Moran, M Clancy (2-0); P Clancy, B McDonald (0-7, three frees), B O'Connell. Subs: M Dunne (0- 1) for J Moran (44 mins); JM McDonald (0-1) for O'Connell (44 mins); E Brown for Jones (56 mins).
Dublin: C Clarke; D Henry, M Breathnach, M Thompson; F Armstrong, C Moran, G Norton; M Kennedy, D Conlon (0-1); F Purcell, J Gahan (0-1), P Devitt (0-1); M Ryan (0-1), R Mullins (0-1), W McCarthy (0-7, three frees). Subs: C Murphy for Purcell (52 mins); L Driver for P Devitt (57 mins).
Referee: E Murtagh (Longford).
