Considine goal crucial as profligate Dublin edge past Laois

It wasn't vintage hurling from Dublin at Parnell Park but when it comes to the opening round of the Leinster SHC, winning is all that counts and Mattie Kenny's men did just about enough.

Alex Considine's 62nd minute goal, scored just moments after his introduction, ultimately had a big bearing on a tight encounter that went right to the wire.

That strike put Dublin five points ahead and they would open up a seven-point gap with 70 minutes on the clock when another substitute, Paul Crummey, opened his account.

Remarkably, Laois would whittle that lead down to just two by full-time with goalkeeper Enda Rowland's 72nd minute goal giving Cheddar Plunkett's side hope of a memorable win on the road.

They couldn't pull it off though and Dublin will reflect on a game that they just about deserved to win but also could easily have thrown away with 18 wides on the evening.

Donal Burke was their outstanding performer again, contributing 0-13 though Kenny will demand an improvement generally ahead of next weekend's trip to Wexford.

As for Laois, they will take on Kilkenny at Nowlan Park.

This was a game the men from the capital were tipped to win with plenty to spare but, just like their 2019 championship encounter, it was anything but plain sailing.

Dublin ultimately lost that All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final tie three years ago and, at half-time at Parnell Park, history was on course for repeating itself.

The visitors led by 1-07 to 0-09 at that stage though it flattered them as Dublin had enough possession to be five or six points to the good.

The hosts struck 11 first-half wides in total with Chris Crummey, Davy Keogh and free-taker Burke all guilty of shooting multiple wayward efforts.

The misses badly undermined Dublin's bid to put