All-Ireland MFC Quarter-final/Kerry 0-14 Laois 1-4: Laois became the fourth provincial champions to make their exit from the All-Ireland minor football series when they crashed to beaten Munster finalists Kerry at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday.

Laois join Cork, who lost to Offaly, Armagh, beaten by Mayo, and Galway, who crashed to Down at the quarter-final stage.

Laois had no answers to Kerry's twin spearhead of Michael O'Donoghue and Paddy Curran, who contributed three points each to their side's total.

The Kingdom were in cruise control for most of the hour and it was from practically the last kick that the Leinster side took the bare look off the scoreline with a penalty goal from Daithí Carroll.

It might have been more embarrassing for Laois were it not for two brilliant first-half saves by goalkeeper Darren Maher and Kevin Smith's goalline clearance from Curran on 27 minutes.

Kerry, with Kieran Brennan and Alan O'Sullivan powerful figures in midfield, raced into an early three-point lead courtesy of O'Sullivan and Curran (two) before Laois had even launched their first attack. They had matters well in control at the break, with a 0-7 to 0-3 advantage.

Second-half points from O'Donoghue, Tomás Garvey, Kieran O'Leary and Curran saw Kerry through to the semi-final.

KERRY: G Kissane; C O'Mahony, M Moloney, K Young; S Lynch, G Duffy, S Enright; K Brennan (0-1), A O'Sullivan (0-1); T Garvey (0-2), M O'Donoghue (0-3, one free), J Falvey; P Curran (0-3), P O'Connor (0-2), K O'Leary (0-2). Subs: J Wrenn for Lynch, B Looney for O'Connor, D Murphy for Garvey.

LAOIS: D Maher; P Fleming, M Delaney, K Smith; R Ryan, B Meredith, S Shortall; S O'Neill, C O'Green; S O'Leary (0-1), J Fennell, S Conroy (0-1); S O'Shea (0-1), C Delaney, D Carroll (1-1, goal from pen, point from free). Subs: B Brennan for Fleming, S Ramsbottom for Fennell.

Referee: F Flynn (Leitrim).