Garryowen hold the line

A second successive defeat, the third of the season, and Shannon find themselves in the rare position of struggling to keep up with the pace-setters at the top of Division One. Yesterday at Thomond Park, however, it was little to do with Shannon and a lot to do with Garryowen's sense of functional necessity.

"Horses for courses," Garryowen coach John Hall called it. His side took the game for the first half hour, building from a 1710 lead up to a 20-13 margin after 50 minutes and subsequently smothered Shannon out of the match.

Naturally big tackling played its part with flanker David Wallace excelling around the park and Conor Kilroy offering defensive options in the centre for Melvyn McNamara. The line-out, with Shane and Ross Leahy providing regular ball and a rock-steady scrum, added up to a team feeding progressively off its own growing confidence and success around the pitch.

A simple approach but a monumentally difficult task against the champions on their home territory but Garryowen's purpose and blinkered discipline held impressively for most of the second half as Shannon became more urgent.

Typically, entering the rucks and mauls in this derby was like occasionally like stepping into a blender. Nothing was spared for dominance up front in a shuddering but controlled spectacle.

"There was great guts shown out there and at times we weren't frightened to throw the ball around. I think we well deserved our victory in the end," said Hall.

An exchange of penalties between Garryowen captain Killian Keane and Shannon winger Andrew Thompson kept the sides level until hooker Paul Cunningham bulldozed over for the visitors' following a Shane Leahy gather from a corner line-out on the left.

A second try on 25 minutes increased Garryowen's lead when substitute scrum-half Frank McNamara was bagged on his line coming out with the ball with his first touch of the game; Rob Laffan claiming the Garryowen hit.

At that stage Shannon looked hesitant and untidy, only beginning to knit moves together in the final 10 minutes of the half.

McNamara quickly redeemed himself when a skilful flick with his fingers put the ball into the galloping Marcus Horan's hands, allowing the prop to charge over after 34 minutes, just two minutes after they had earned their first scrum of the game inside the Garryowen 22.

On the half Thompson added a fine kick to bring Shannon to within four points.

Right wing John Lacey might have given them the lead for the first time shortly after the game resumed but knocked on in plenty of space and no cover at 13-17. Then when Thompson missed from long range Keane was good from 25 metres and from in front of goal and on the hour Shannon were suddenly looking for two scores to get them back into the match.

It was the final phase where Garryowen's defence proved to be the match winner as Shannon increased their tempo; Eddie Halvey, Anthony Foley, Mick Galwey, Marcus Horan and John Hayes throwing themselves to no avail at the visitors line.

Finally winger Lacey romped over for Shannon following a deft chip froward from full-back Brian Roche with Thompson converting. But by then it was much too late with referee Alan Watson blowing as the final kick brought the sides to 20-23, putting Garryowen well back into contention.

Scoring Sequence: 4 mins: K Keane penalty, 0-3; 11: A Thompson penalty, 3-3; 16: P Cunningham try, Keane conversion, 3-10; 25: R Laffan try, Keane conversion, 3-17; 34: M Horan try, Thompson conversion, 10-17; 40: Thompson penalty, 13-17; 54: Keane penalty, 13-20; 62: Keane penalty, 13-23; 80: J Lacey try, Thompson conversion, 20-23.

Shannon: B Roche; J Lacey, J Hayes, A McGrath, A Thompson;C Burke, S Johnson; M Horan, M McDermott, J Hayes, M Galwey, D Kirby, A Quinlan, E Halvey, A Foley (capt.). Replacements: F McNamara for Johnson (24 mins); C McMahon for Kirby (54 mins).

Garryowen: D Crotty; C Kilroy, K Hartigan, K Keane (capt.), K O'Riordan, J Staunton, T Tierney; N Hartigan, P Cunningham, R Laffan, S Leahy, R Leahy, C Varley, D Wallace, P Hogan. Replacements: P Humphreys for Cunningham (53 mins); K Ronan for Laffan (61 mins).

Referee: A Watson (Ulster).