Shannon's dream of double to come true

The passion of a Limerick derby; the mental fatigue associated with a last competitive outing in a long season: contrasts which occupy AIB League champions, Shannon and Young Munster as they contest today's Munster Senior Cup final at Thomond Park (4.0).

Young Munster bear additional emotional baggage, the stigma of a losing sequence in finals, seven in the last eight years, dating to their last win in 1990. Captain Ger Earls and Peter Clohessy, alone of the present team, boast winners' medals and there are those within the team for whom today may be a final opportunity to claim a prized possession.

It is against this backdrop that the Tom Clifford Park club address the task of preventing a Shannon double of AIB League and Munster Senior Cup, a feat last achieved by Shannon in 1996. Young Munster's preparations are hampered somewhat by injury concerns surrounding centre Mick Lynch and flanker Brian Buckley.

Lynch has been dogged by a knee problem originally sustained while playing for Ireland in an A international against Wales. Although he has played since, it has been with some discomfort. He faces a late fitness test a couple of hours before kick-off. Should he fail to make it then Alan Honan will deputise.

Buckley represents an even greater doubt for coach Brian Hickey as the talented flanker bids to recover from a hand injury. Earlier in the week he was considered a certain absentee, but the problem has responded well to physiotherapy. The club are fortunate to have a player of the calibre of Anthony Herlihy on stand-by.

Aidan O'Halloran, recently struck down by pneumonia, may be fit enough to take his place on the bench. The league clash between today's combatants was a tense, error-ridden affair with Shannon eventually prevailing 1610: Young Munster realise that they can not afford to give away as many penalties as they did the last day.

Shannon left wing Andrew Thompson's place-kicking this season has been superlative and it would be foolish to afford him any opportunities. Shannon coach Pat Murray concedes that the last week has been tough on the players. "The signs of weariness are there, mental not physical. The players have to dig deep for this one. There has not been the same build-up.

"They have come from such a high in winning the league and then not having anything like the same build-up for the cup. Even against (Cork) Con in the semifinal we were pretty flat. It's not that we don't want to win, we do, but that's not enough. If we are not mentally attuned then we will be in trouble."

Shannon's qualities have been well documented en route to their league triumph: the influence of their back row, in which captain Anthony Foley has been outstanding, Mick Galwey's contribution, John Hayes's coming of age, Rhys Ellison's punishing defence and Thompson's metronomic kicking.

Should Shannon muster a performance that represents the quality they harbour then Young Munster will lose no matter how they perform: that Shannon are the best team in the country is indisputable. Fortunately cup rugby lacks the assurance of the form book and Young Munster are certainly capable of an upset, for that is what it would be.

They too are blessed with some exceptional forwards in the Clohessys, Earls and Buckley while out-half Stephen Tuohy will be desperate to atone for his league semi-final performance against Garryowen.

It is a measure of Shannon's consistency that six months after the beginning of the club season, with the AIB League and Floodlit Cup already in the trophy cabinet, they remain illogical to oppose.

Shannon: Jason Hayes; J Lacey, A McGrath, R Ellison, A Thompson; J Galvin, F McNamara; N Healy, M McDermott, John Hayes, M Galwey, K Keane, A Quinlan, A Foley (capt) E Halvey.

Young Munster: P Boland; J Carey, M Lynch, N O'Meara, N McNamara; S Tuohy, M Prendergast; D Clohessy, M Hayes, P Clohessy, M O'Halloran, D O'Meara; B Buckley, D Edwards, G Earls (capt).