Leinster SFC Semi-final/ Laois 1-13 Wexford 0-13: This proved something of a teaser ahead of the Leinster final in a fortnight's time. Given Laois hit 18 wides, really only played for 35 minutes, and had an extra man for most of the second half it's hard to gauge their prospects against Dublin - but at least they're there.

Wexford, meanwhile, can only wish they were there, this being their fourth semi-final loss in succession. They have only themselves to blame, playing with great style and intent in the first half, before fading badly in the second. That they ended up just three points short was no consolation.

A repeat of this, admitted Laois manager Liam Kearns, and Dublin will have it easy. "That won't win us a Leinster championship," said Kearns. "I'd expect Dublin to be an awful lot tougher. They're the favourites for the Leinster championship, and have been since dot. And everybody is wondering can they win an All-Ireland.

"So we have an awful lot to do, on the basis on that performance, just to put it up to them. Like I'm sure Paul Caffrey was watching, and he can't be too worried about what he's meeting in the final."

That's probably a slight exaggeration, yet for the opening 35 minutes Laois were struggling just to put it up to Wexford. They trailed 0-7 to 0-2 after 15 minutes, saw Wexford have a goal disallowed, and even when reducing the deficit to four points at half-time looked in serious trouble.

Then it all changed in the second half, thanks to some running repairs. Tom Kelly sealed up the defence when moved to centre back, Pádraig Clancy and Brendan Quigley took over at midfield, and the brilliant accuracy of 20-year-old forward Michael Tierney made up for the misses of those around him.

Wexford only managed one point from play in the second half and when centre back David Murphy was sent off for a second yellow card on 51 minutes their challenge visibly crumbled. Manager Paul Bealin was adamant they would have won otherwise.

"The sending off was the main problem," claimed Bealin, "because our game collapsed. At 15 against 15 we would have beaten Laois today. The player (Tom Kelly) came running at him, and it was shoulder to shoulder. The way modern day football is you're not allowed touch players anymore, and I think there is an over-reaction to that.

"I just know if it was 15 against 15 we still would have won. Like we kicked six balls into their pocket, and with the extra man they covered that."

At least Wexford will be restored to 15 men for next Sunday's round one qualifier against Fermanagh, although Bealin wasn't too upbeat about that: "The big task now is getting the team up again for next Sunday.

"The players are devastated, mentally and physically. They ran themselves into the ground. Philip Wallace broke down for us in the pre-match warm-up with an ankle injury, and we lost Eric Bradley to a dead leg early on. So we're not sure yet who we will have for next Sunday."

Looking back it's hard to pinpoint where it all went wrong for Wexford. Teenage forward Ciarán Lyng was a revelation in the opening half, hitting 0-5 - three from play - from all angles, and Matty Forde chipped in with three nice scores as well.

On 15 minutes Lyng slipped the ball into the net, but was called back for over-carrying, a score which would have left Wexford 1-7 to 0-3 in front.

Instead, Laois managed to match their scoring for the rest of the half, which finished 0-10 to 0-6, at which stage Laois had already hit nine wides.

Kearns clearly needed to make changes, calling Donie Brennan ashore at half-time, yet sticking with Colm Parkinson, a late replacement for Brian "Beano" McDonald. Parkinson repaid the faith with two hard-earned points in the second half.

He was just one of several players who improved dramatically in the second half, with Joe Higgins also putting the shackles on Forde, and Paul Lawlor threatening more up front.

On 48 minutes, Tierney delivered a dangerous ball into the Wexford goalmouth and when Brian Malone failed to divert it, Lawlor happily swept it up to convert the Laois goal. The sides were suddenly level, and Laois didn't need to look over their shoulder again.

"It was a much improved second half," added Kearns. "But in fairness, it had to be. We certainly didn't look like winning the game on the basis of our first-half performance. We made a lot of changes, got on top around midfield, and started to run at them. That got them into trouble.

"But when you meet the bigger teams you won't get away with that. We put an emphasis on starting well, but the reality was different. You have to give some credit to Wexford. Ciarán Lyng was on fire inside there, and kicked some very good points. We also ended up with 18 wides, and again, you're lucky to win championship games with that. I felt there were at least five points we should have had. "

Both Ross Munnelly and Chris Conway were quiet and McDonald's appearance later on suggests he could be ready to start against Dublin.

Laois definitely looked dangerous when they finally ran at Wexford in the second half. The main task facing Kearns now is to make sure they start like that the next day.

"You have to play the full 70 minutes if you want to win the Leinster championship, and especially to beat Dublin. We got away with it today, and also against Longford the last day, but not for a third time. At least we've two weeks to try get it right."

LAOIS: 1 F Byron; 2 C Ryan (0-1), 3 T Kelly, 4 J Higgins; 5 P McMahon, 6 D Rooney, 7 B McCormack; 8 P Clancy (0-1), 9 B Quigley; 10 R Munnelly, 11 C Conway (0-1), 30 C Parkinson (0-2); 13 D Brennan, 12 M Tierney (0-7, five frees), 14 P Lawlor (1-1). Subs: 18 P O'Leary for Brennan (half time); 15 B McDonald for Conway (56 mins); 20 R Stapleton for McMahon (66 mins); 22 D Murphy for Lawlor. Yellow cards: P McMahon (10 mins), P Clancy (30 mins);

WEXFORD: 1 J Cooper; 2 C Morris, 4 B Malone, 7 N Murphy; 5 A Morrissey (0-1), 6 D Murphy, 12 A Flynn; 8 R Stafford, 9 E Bradley; 10 C Deely, 11 R Barry (0-1), 21 D Fogarty; 13 C Lyng (0-7, three frees), 14 P Colfer, 15 M Forde (0-4, three frees). Subs: 27 J Mernagh for Bradley (20 mins, inj); 22 P Byrne for Mernagh (51 mins); 20 R Quinlivan for Stafford (57 mins); 18 A Doyle for Deely (70 mins). Yellow cards: D Murphy (37 mins, 51 mins); R Barry (60 mins), M Forde (70 mins); Red card: D Murphy (51 mins).

Referee: M Sludden(Tyrone).