Offaly became the third team through to the Leinster semi-finals when defeating Laois by 3-22 to 2-14 at Tullamore.

The sides were level at the break, 1-10 each, but Joe Bergin's goal gave the hosts a perfect start to the second half and, following points from Paddy Murphy, Shane Dooley, and Kevin Connolly, they never looked back.

The unerring Dooley, who registered 1-11 today from placed balls, added the third Offaly major from the penalty spot in the 56th minute, James Mulrooney having struck their first in the first half.

Looking more fluent following their involvement in the round-robin series, Eamonn Kelly's charges outscored their opponents by 2-12 to 1-4 in the second half and will now lock horns with Galway in a fortnight for the right to tackle either Kilkenny or Dublin in the 2016 Leinster senior hurling championship decider.

PJ Scully netted the losers' first-half goal to ensure parity at the short whistle and substitute Willie Dunphy plundered their second in added time, but Seamus Plunkett's charges were outclassed after the restart and unable to repeat last year's victory over their neighbours.

Offaly - J Dempsey; C McDonald, D Shortt, P Rigney; D King, S Gardiner (0-1), D Mooney; S Ryan (0-1), P Camon; S Kinsella (0-3), J Bergin (1-1), P Murphy (0-1); K Connolly (0-1), J Mulrooney (1-0), S Dooley (1-11, 1-0pen, 0-9f, 0-2'65). Subs: C Kiely (0-1) for D Shortt, L Langton (0-1) for K Connolly, S Cleary (0-1) for J Mulrooney, J Sampson for S Ryan, D Kelleher for D Mooney.

Laois - E Rowland (0-1f); C Healy, D Maher, D Palmer; L Bergin, M Whelan, R Mullaney; P Purcell, J Lennon; C Dwyer (0-5), W Hyland (0-1), S Maher (0-2, 1f); C Stapleton, N Foyle (0-2), PJ Scully (1-3, 0-2f, 0-1'65). Subs: B Conroy for C Stapleton, T Delaney for R Mullaney, W Dunphy (1-0) for PJ Scully, R King for J Lennon, O Carroll for T Delaney.

Referee - J Ryan.

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