The Dublin under 21 footballers are into the Leinster final thanks to a 3-7 to 6 points win over Longford in Portlaoise. The result means that Dublin and Meath will meet in this year's Leinster decider. Two first-half goals in as many minutes from Paul Mannion separated the teams at the break as the Dubs led by 2-4 to 0-4. The Dubs played into a strong breeze in the first half but Dessie Farrell's side scored two points inside the opening five minutes, the second coming from an Eric Lowndes free. The favourites seemed to have continued where they left off in the last round against Carlow when senior star Mannion found the net twice in the eighth and tenth minutes: 2-2 to no score. Paddy Kiernan hit Longford's first point but Mannion replied instantly with a third Dubs point. The superb Mannion added another point in the 21st minute and there was simply no way back for the shell-shocked Longford lads, 2-4 to 0-1. Robbie Smyth pulled back a couple of points for the midlanders and Barry McKeon closed the first-half scoring with their third successive point. Cormac Costello and Conor McHugh posted the first two points of a low-scoring second half for the Dubs but Longford refused to give up without a fight and Smyth's 46th-minute free meant that there was still just the two goals between the sides, 2-6 to 0-6. Seven minutes from the end, Costello's point left seven between them and substitute Emmet O'Conghaile fired the third Dublin goal five minutes from the end as the Metropolitans eased into the provincial decider.
Dublin scorers: P Mannion 2-1, C Costello 0-4 (0-1f), E O Conghaile 1-0, E Lowndes, C McHugh 0-1 each
Dublin team: L Molloy; R McGowan, D Byrne, R McDaid; J Small, Stephen Cunningham, J McCaffrey; P O'Higgins, S Carthy; N Scully, E Lowndes, C Costello; C McHugh, P Mannion, M Deegan. Subs: Shane Cunningham for Deegan (40), E O Conghaile for Small (47), N Walsh for McHugh (59), G Ivory for Costello (60)
