Narrow win for favourites

After a dreadfully poor first half, Saturday's Heineken Munster Senior Cup final burst into life and produced a thrilling finish which eventually went in Shannon's favour - but only after extra time.

The change to playing the competition in the month of October hasn't gone down well with everybody, but given the response of the 5,000-strong crowd on Saturday, the famous old trophy remains very important to Munster's rugby supporters.

Shannon almost certainly prevailed on Saturday because they were the fitter side. In contrast to Young Munster, who didn't have a single contracted player, Shannon fielded a whole host of professionals and it told in the end.

Everybody's sympathy rested with Young Munster, who lost in the final for the seventh time in eight years. On top of that, they were clearly the better side for long stretches of the final and will be kicking themselves for failing to open up a match-winning lead in a first half which they almost entirely dominated. Instead, at the break they were on level terms after a penalty by Tom Cregan was equalised by Conor Bourke.

A try by left winger Ken Casey that was converted from the touchline by Cregan put Young Munster 10-3 ahead after 59 minutes but almost immediately Shannon were on equal terms after a try by Anthony Foley which was converted by Bourke.

Bourke put Shannon ahead with a 72nd minute penalty but just before the finish Cregan equalised to send the game into extra time. Crucially, at the end of regulation time Young Munster lost a couple of key men through injury with Derek Tobin and Des Clohessy having to retire and it was clear that Shannon had more energy left. Shannon were back in front when Bourke landed a penalty and they finally made sure of their win in the last minute of extra time when full back Jason Hayes broke through an exhausted Young Munster defence for a try between the posts that was converted by Bourke.

"We knew going into the game that Young Munster would give it their all because of all the bad luck they have had in the cup in recent years," said Shannon captain Mark McDermott. "We weren't really sure of victory until we heard the final whistle.

"Today's game showed that the Munster Cup still means an awful lot and that it remains the most prestigious of all the provincial cup competitions."

SHANNON - J Hayes; J Lacey, C McMahon, M Lawlor, B Roche; C Bourke, P Stringer; M Horan, M McDermott, J Hayes, M Galwey, J Langford, D Quinlan, E Halvey, A Foley. Replacements - C O'Loughlin for Stringer, J O'Neill for Roche, N Healy for J Hayes.

YOUNG MUNSTER - T Cregan; D Walsh, M Lynch, L Doyle, C Casey; E Buckley, M Prendergast; D Clohessy, M Hayes, M Fitzgerald, P O'Connell, M O'Halloran, I Dillon, D McDonagh, B Buckley. Replacements - D Tobin for Prendergast, G Earls for Dillon, B Murphy for Tobin.

Referee: O Trevor (Munster).

London Irish coach Dick Best was far from amused as his Exiles side threw away a near-certain victory and their English Premiership top spot against Leicester on Saturday.

Irish won their first three games of the season but two defeats in seven days have badly dented their challenge.

Despite a massive 20-3 lead for Irish, Leicester completed a remarkable comeback with a last-minute try sealing an injury time 31-30 victory.