Ruthless Shannon have the look of champions again

There is a ferocity about Shannon in full spate that makes them a side only fools would right off as potential champions. A season so far tempered with the occasional flat performance has also been invigorating with breathless displays such as witnessed in Thomond Park on Saturday.

Even without Mick Galwey, sidelined with an infection in his leg, the Shannon front eight were murderous. Winning the contest after an imperious first half, Ballymena were left reeling like the school yard weakling after a mauling by the local bully. Fittingly three of Shannon's four tries came from the pack.

For Ballymena's part they must now be wondering just how they can find their heart and pocket a result away from Eaton Park. Unable to scratch a grip on the match for the first 50 minutes, a prolonged phase of pressure mid-way through the second-half was all they could take away in an otherwise numb performance.

In that respect it was a cruising Shannon in the second-half rather than a pick-up of the tempo from Ballymena that allowed the Ulster side to play that short cameo role.

"Our scrum was superb. The guys really responded to the task and we also got the bonus point. The bonus points are definitely going to be a factor at the end of the season," said Shannon player-coach Rhys Ellison. "We really knew that we had to give it our all but I think we almost cruised in the second-half. We knew that with the wind on our backs we'd a good chance to get the bonus points after half-time."

Ellison, came through the game intact having been out for a long spell with a trapped nerve in his shoulder, but given the personnel, it was the duel between the two current Irish number eights, Anthony Foley and Ballymena's Dion O'Cuinneagain that drew particular interest.

As the game unfolded, however, comparisons became invalid. Such was the dominance of the Shannon pack and the scrum in particular, that O'Cuinneagain had slim pickings to impress Irish coach Warren Gatland before next week's game against Italy.

Marcus Horan in the Shannon front row claimed two tries to add to his dynamic performance while Foley was forever eyecatching, putting in big hits and accomplishing his ball carrying role with vigour.

But it was Eddie Halvey's athleticism in the home side's second row that might have caught the attention of the form seeking selectors. The ex-Irish flanker was moved from the back row because of the Galwey withdrawal and flourished, particularly in the loose with ball in hand. For his labours he won man of the match and claimed the bonus point try in the dying minutes.

It was a cut in Galwey's leg that ruled him out of the club game but it will not prevent him from taking a full part in this week's build up to the Lansdowne Road match. "I'll be fine," he said. "At a push I could have played against Ballymena. I was just being cautious."

Conor Burke, who kicked three penalties and a conversion, added to a gift try from right wing John O'Neill after just four minutes. Burke wriggled with embarrassing ease through the midfield cover to put O'Neill away from 40 metres out.

Horan contributed his first try as Shannon went over after their third serious assault in succession on the Ballymena line on 24 minutes, with Burke adding a penalty for 18-0 at half time - a poor return, in fact, from such complete dominance. Horan and Halvey cranked up tries in the second-half with Jeff Park at least putting something on the board for the visitors.

"Mick (Galwey) wasn't actually a factor. He hadn't trained all week with us and we've a big squad," said Ellison, his team now with three wins from six matches played.

Scoring sequence: 4 mins J O'Neil try 5-0; 8 mins C Burke pen 8-0; 24 mins M Horan try, Burke con 15-0; 35 mins Burke pen 18-0. Halftime. 44 mins Burke pen 21-0; 51 mins Horan try 26-0; 72 mins J Park try 26-5. 78 mins E Halvey try 31-5.

Shannon: J Hayes; J O'Neil, P McMahon, R Ellison, J Lacey; C Burke, P Stringer; M Horan, M McDermott, J Hayes, E Halvey, J Langford, D Quinlan, A Quinlan, A Foley. Replacements: C McMahon for D Quinlan (65 mins); K Keane for A Quinlan (78 mins); M Lawlor for Ellison (81 mins); F Roche for Stringer (81 mins).

Ballymena: S Mason; J Wells, S Stewart, R Botha, J Park; S Broughton, M Edwards; N McKernan, A Stewart, C Millar, M Blair, G Longwell, A Graham, D Topping, D O'Cuinneagain. Replacements: S McDowell for Botha (48 mins); N Robson for Edwards (60 mins); C McCarey for Topping (64 mins).

Referee: S Dickenson (Australia).