All-Ireland SFC Semi-final replay/Derry 4-7 Laois 1-11:Derry have returned to the All-Ireland minor football final after a five-year wait.

A physical semi-final replay at Páirc Tailteann on Saturday kept Leitrim referee Frank Flynn busy. He flashed no fewer than eight yellow and two red cards. Laois wing back Kieran Lillis walked after eight minutes of the second half. Midfielder John O'Loughlin was sent off near the end.

For his trouble Flynn earned the wrath of supporters in the large crowd and was booed to the dressing-room.

Derry's tally was boosted by an own-goal, but their ability to string scores together during brief, fertile spells in both halves proved conclusive.

Any hopes of a repeat of Laois's dramatic recovery from a large deficit in Croke Park a week earlier were effectively scuppered by the dismissals.

O'Loughlin in particular had been playing well in midfield.

Aidan Herron, the inventive leader of the Derry attack, had two goals and a point in a prolific three-minute spell in the opening quarter.

Derry's third goal came when Laois's right corner back Robert Keogh was shouldered over the line while in possession.

And so Derry by 3-3 to 0-3 after only 17 minutes and by 3-3 to 0-7 at half-time with wind advantage to follow.

But Derry blew hot and cold. They had failed to score for the final 12 minutes of the first half and the famine continued through the third quarter.

Team manager Niall Conway said, "We're very concerned with our stop-start scoring patterns."

Laois, with Donie Kingston, Conor Meredith and supersub James Doyle threatening in attack, whittled the deficit down to a mere three points in the closing quarter.

But Derry defence was buttressed in that period by JF Bradley, their staunch centre back.

Derry were also strong down the centre, with captain John Kielt in midfield, Aidan Herron, their top scorer, at centre half forward and Gavin McGeechan at full forward.

Kilt admitted they feared a backlash from Laois like the one in Croke Park that led to the replay but he said, "Our work ethic was spot on and we look forward to the All-Ireland final with confidence after accounting for an excellent team."

Conway was not for looking ahead to the final against Galway next Sunday week in Croke Park.

"We will not be thinking about Galway until we have our weaknesses sorted out with the help of video recordings," he said.

His Laois counterpart, Eddie Kelly, praised the skills and application of the Derry team and told the Ulster champions afterwards, "We want to be able to say at the end of September that we were beaten by the All-Ireland champions."

DERRY: A Warnock; M McKinney, C McWilliams, D Bell; C McKeigue, JF Bradley, B Henry; J Kielt, C O'Boyle; S Cleary (0-1), A Herron (3-1), D Mullen (0-1); N Forrester, G McGeechan (0-3), L Moore (0-1). Sub: C McFeely for Cleary.

LAOIS: C O'Shea; R Keogh (own goal), J Mulhaire, J O'Connor; K Lillis, B McGlynn, C Boyle; S Ramsbottom, J O'Loughlin (0-1); K Farrell, E Kelly, Z Touhy; C Meredith (1-3, two frees), D Kingston (0-3), S Millar (0-2). Subs: J Doyle (0-2) for Farrell; B Smith for Millar.

Referee: F Flynn (Leitrim).