GAELIC GAMES:So the floor is cleared and it's time for the big dance to begin. The last of this year's provincial finals played itself out at Croke Park yesterday afternoon, and when the music stopped Dublin were still holding their Leinster football title.

For the third year in a row then, Dublin advance as Leinster champions. Those given to reading signs and auguries will point out that the last time Dublin won three in a row in Leinster, in 1995, they finished out the sequence with an All-Ireland win.

The 12 long and difficult years since that day have done nothing to diminish the hunger in the capital for a repeat performance.

Laois, beaten by the width of two goals, can console themselves that they came closer to Dublin than they did last year, but there is little solace in the scoreline. Dublin killed the game with two goals in the 28th minute, and after that, despite determined running at the Dublin defence, Laois just broke as harmlessly as waves over a solid breakwater.

Dublin's conscientiously inscrutable manager, Paul Caffrey, noted that the word "control" was applicable to many facets of this Dublin display. His senior player and the idol of The Hill, Jason Sherlock, repeatedly referred back to the landmark catastrophe that was last year's All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Mayo.

Their tone and the evidence of their afternoon's work suggest Dublin have learned a little. Coltish enthusiasm is no longer sufficient unto the day.

Dublin have grown up and if yesterday's shift on the shop-floor was far from flawless it was nevertheless a convincing statement of intent. They have an eye on the big prize.

Yesterday Laois announced their own intentions early on, barrelling through the swing doors of the saloon with both pistols drawn. It took just seven minutes for them to cause mischief.

A long free from Pádraig McMahon went over the head of rookie full back Ross McConnell and into the arms of Beano McDonald. His shot was muffled by Stephen Cluxton but Ross Munnelly was on hand to squeeze the ball home.

McDonald scored a fine point 60 seconds later. Laois were playing well and were four points ahead.

The Hill took a deep breath and prepared for the worst. Dublin's supporters have become accustomed to diving to the floor like startled saloon-keepers when they hear the first shots ringing out in Dodge City. Their team, though, were commendably implacable. They just

rolled up their sleeves.

Ciarán Whelan and Shane Ryan got a hold of midfield. Bryan Cullen was pushed forward from centre back and into Laois territory. Mark Vaughan's free-taking was reliable. The game broke in the 28th minute.

There is something undeniably exciting about Dublin teams scoring goals in Croke Park and something quite intoxicating about them scoring freely into The Hill end. In the 28th minute Dublin just opened Laois up.

Conal Keaney found Cullen, who ran at Laois, while Vaughan loitered out on the left as inconspicuously as a bleached-blond six-footer can loiter while being watched by 81,394 people. Cullen spotted him before the Laois defence did and Vaughan slotted the ball home.

The hubbub had scarcely died down when Dublin scored a better goal, one with all sorts of happy resonances. Jason Sherlock played a typically perceptive ball out to Keaney, who located Bernard Brogan, who on just his second championship start drilled a fine shot into the same goal where his father famously scored a similar but late goal in a legendary game with Kerry 30 years ago.

In the space of 60 seconds Laois went from leading by three points to trailing by three. Their enjoyment of the half-time break was duly altered too. From being a soothing venue for positive reinforcement the Laois dressingroom became a triage clinic specialising in post-traumatic stress.

"They got the goals one after the other and that was crippling," said the Laois manager, Liam Kearns, dolefully. "We went in a goal down having played most of the football at that stage."

The second half brought no comfort. Whelan scored a rampaging point straight from the throw-in. Colm Parkinson, one of the unqualified Laois successes, replied and Brian McCormack added another. Laois were just beginning to believe.

And then . . . Conal Keaney again made the assist, feeding Alan Brogan this time. Brogan had been engaged in a torrid battle with Joe Higgins all afternoon. His left-footed shot took the bare look off the brackets after his name.

There was half an hour left but the game was over.

Laois refused to accept defeat and with immense heart but little guile threw themselves repeatedly at Dublin. Somewhere along the line they should perhaps have had a eureka moment and gone back to scoring points. Instead they tried to work the ball inside the Dublin 21 in search of a goal.

They had some luck running at the Dublin half backs but there were so many solidly filled blue jerseys dropping back to guard the citadel they formed a force field repelling Laois every time.

Dublin sallied forth occasionally, picking off points and enjoying themselves. You know a game is beyond reviving when a team are throwing on their subs and the subs (well, Mossy Quinn and Ger Brennan) are picking off points while the men they replaced are still picking up bouquets thrown to them by the crowds.

You know a team are dead and buried when the men they pick scraps with (well, Kevin Bonner and Alan Brogan) withdraw from the fisticuffs to raise their arms in triumph to the gallery.

The last few minutes were the football equivalent of a warrior posing with one foot on the chest of a slain opponent.

"We'll sit back and analyse how great it was or how ungreat it was during the week," gushed Pillar Caffrey afterwards (well, "gushed" in a loose sense).

Dublin and Caffrey will be judged come September. Greatness or ungreatness beckons.