Colm Basquel comes on to help Dublin into Leinster Under-21 final

Dublin 2-17 Laois 2-5

A vibrant second-half cameo from Colm Basquel helped Dublin to comfortably overcome Laois by 12 points in their Eirgrid Leinster Under-21 Football Championship semi-final at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Dubs opened up on the front foot and they enjoyed a three point lead after six minutes following scores by Glenn O’Reilly, Martin Cahilan and Michael Deegan.

A Con O’Callaghan free inched Dublin further ahead before Laois finally opened their account in the 13th minute through a fine solo score from Nigel Murphy.

The visitors were buoyed further four minutes later as Evan O’Carroll availed of some sloppy home defending to fire an unerring finish past Lorcan Molloy from 10 yards.

Any momentum that score generated was instantly nullified as O’Callaghan timed his pass well to allow Chris Sallier to fire competently beyond Aaron Cooney.

O’Callaghan and Sallier added points as the half progressed but Tom Shiels and O’Carroll replied for Laois, trimming their deficit to four points (1-8 to 1-4) by half-time.

After both Brian Daly and Tom Lahiff had been dismissed early in the second-half, Basquel mirrored his sublime finish from Croke Park last Thursday in the 39th minute with his three subsequent points easing Dublin home to a final meeting against Kildare.

Dublin: L Molloy (0-1, free); E Smith, S McMahon (0-1), D Monaghan; M Cahilan (0-2), C O'Shea, B Howard; A Foley, K Deeley; T Lahiff, C O'Callaghan (0-5, two frees), G O'Reilly (0-3); C Sallier (1-1), M Deegan (0-1), D Spillane. Subs: C Basquel (1-3) for Deegan (37), S Clayton for Deeley (45, Black Card), A Murchan for Spillane (48), P Small for Sallier (52), D McIlgorm for Foley (54), O Lynch for O'Callaghan (62).

Laois: A Cooney; L Knowles, P O'Sullivan, A Campion; E Buggie, T Collins, D O'Reilly; R Dowling, E O'Carroll (1-2, one free); N Murphy (0-1), B Daly, D Hickey; M Keogh (0-1), E Lowry, S Moore. Subs: T Shiels (1-1) for Moore (25, Black Card), A Dowling for Buggie (half-time), C Dunne for R Dowling (42), E Keane for Daly (55), D Doyle for O'Carroll (61).

Referee: Fergal Smyth (Offaly)