ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE ROUND-UP:SHANNON took an important step in their bid to move clear of the relegation zone in Division One A of the Ulster Bank League with a hard-fought victory over Lansdowne on the back pitch at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
The win ended a disastrous run which has seen Shannon manage just one draw in their seven previous outings. While they remain third from bottom, only two points ahead of Blackrock College, the victory should do much to restore their confidence.
“Hopefully, that will be the case,” agreed player/coach Stephen Keogh. “We’ve been working really hard without getting the reward, so we badly needed something to go our way.
“That was a really good away win, but, at the same time, it’s only one game. I suspect we’ll know more when we take on Young Munster at Thomond Park on Friday night.”
Already unable to call on several key players, Lansdowne lost their influential outhalf Craig Ronaldson with a knee injury in the opening quarter.
In his absence, the Leinster contracted scrumhalf John Cooney came off the bench to feature at number 10. The fact Lansdowne also lost two props in the opening quarter meant the game subsequently continued with uncontested scrums. Even so, it turned out to be a very entertaining encounter played in difficult wet conditions.
Shannon made all the running for most of the first half, establishing a 13-0 lead with a try from Keogh, converted by Tadgh Bennett. Outhalf Bennett landed the conversion and also kicked two penalties.
It was only then that Lansdowne got going, their exciting back division scoring two tries through Cooney and centre Mark Roche. With Roche landing one of the conversions, and Bennett adding another penalty for Shannon, the visitors’ lead had been cut to 16-12 at the interval.
Within seven minutes of the restart, Lansdowne were 17-16 ahead, left wing Matt Healy and Cooney combining to set up fullback Ross McCarron for the best try of the game. But Shannon, to their credit, subsequently began to dominate possession and territory with the experience of Keogh and David Quinlan in the backrow proving very influential.
Their good work provided the accurate Bennett with the opportunity to land two more penalties to put Shannon back in front 22-17 and the home side then withstood some late Lansdowne pressure to make certain of victory.
Mark Sexton enjoyed a more successful weekend than his brother Jonny, by scoring a vital try in a 13-12 success for St Mary’s College over Garryowen at Templeville Road on Saturday.
The league leaders only just got over the line against a determined Garryowen outfit that recovered from 13-3 down at the interval to very nearly snatch victory with an injury time Declan Cusack penalty.
Second-placed Clontarf, however, have cut the deficit to two points by securing a bonus point in their 32-23 victory over Dolphin at Castle Avenue.
Hooker Turlough Considine (two), wing Mick McGrath and flanker Simon Crawford got the tries with the rest of the points coming from the boot of Richie Lane.
Young Munster remain third after beating Cork Constitution 9-7 at Clifford Park thanks to three penalties from outhalf Willie Staunton.
