Laois finished the game with only 13 players following dismissals for Kieran Lillis and John O'Loughlin in a contest which certainly did not lack bite from either side.

Both teams began the replay at a blistering pace and were level at 0-2 each after 13 minutes with Derry taking points from Gavin McGeehan and Lee Moore before Donal Kingston equalised with two placed ball efforts for the Leinster outfit.

However, Derry took the lead thanks to a well-worked goal from centre-forward Aidan Heron just a minute later, and this gave them the impetus to drive on further so that they were nine points to the good after 21 minutes.

Stephen Cleary and Simon Miller had traded points, but suddenly Derry nabbed a second goal - Neil Forrister was the last Oak Leafer to get a touch to the ball as Laois defender Robbie Kehoe unfortunately deflected it into his own net.

Within a minute Derry had completed a hat-trick of goals as Stephen Cleary finished smartly from close range but Laois were the stronger side in the lead-up to half-time, holding their opponents scoreless.

Points from Simon Miller (0-2), Zach Tuohy and Kingston meant Laois were the more resourceful at this juncture as Derry's lead was whittled down to 3-3 to 0-7 for the interval.

A Conor Meredith point cut the gap for Laois to four points on the restart but the midlanders were dealt a major blow in the 38th-minute when defender Lillis was sent to the line.

This did not deter Laois and two points from half-time substitute James Doyle made it a two-point game as the replay entered the final quarter.

Despite a Meredith goal in the 53rd-minute, Derry kept a stubborn hold of the lead and full-forward Gavin McGeechan sealed his side's victory, which will see them face Galway in the decider, with his third point of the evening in injury-time.

Scorers: Derry - A Heron 2-1, G McGeehan 1-3, S Cleary 1-1, D Mullan, L Moore 0-1 each Laois - C Meredith 1-2 (0-2f), D Kingston (0-3f), S Miller 0-3 each, J Doyle 0-2, Z Tuohy 0-1.

DERRY: A Warnock; M McKinney, C McWilliams, D Bell; C McKaigue, JF Bradley, B Henry; J Kielt, C O'Boyle; S Cleary, A Heron, D Mullan; N Forrester, G McGeehan, L Moore.

Subs used: C McFeely for Cleary (45 mins), L Morrow for McWilliams (61).

LAOIS: C O'Shea; R Kehoe, J Mulhare, J O'Connor; K Lillis, C Boyle, Z Tuohy; B Glynn, J O'Loughlin; S Ramsbottom, E Kelly, K Farrell; S Miller, C Meredith, D Kingston.

Subs used: D Lowry for Ramsbottom (23 mins), J Doyle for Farrell (half-time), B Smyth for Miller (52).

Referee: Frank Flynn (Leitrim)