AIB LEAGUE St Mary's College 16 Shannon 27: ST MARY'S COLLEGE coach Peter Smyth didn't hide his admiration for Shannon as they put aside their off-field problems to go top of Division 1A of the AIB League with a bonus-point success at Templeville Road on Saturday.
“Hats off to Shannon,” said Smyth. “They didn’t make mistakes, played very well in possession, and any time they got a sniff of a score they took it. That’s why they have won the league so often.”
All credit to Smyth, because he must have been deeply disappointed to have seen his side concede a needless fourth try two minutes from time, thereby depriving them of a losing bonus point.
Once Shannon centre Fionn McLoughlin took advantage of some superb work by Stephen Kelly to score Shannon’s opening try, the match took off.
The sides were level 10-10 at the interval, outhalf Tadgh Bennett adding the conversion for Shannon and also landing a drop goal.
St Mary’s responded with an equally good try from their powerful wing Darragh Fanning, with Gavin Dunne kicking the conversion and a penalty.
But the tide was to turn early in the second half. Within nine minutes Shannon had scored two more tries, the first of which will not be bettered all season.
Bennett, later to go off injured, figured twice, starting the move after collecting a clearance on the touchline in his half. Flanker Eoghan Grace and prop Les Hogan were also involved before number eight David Quinlan got over near the corner.
A second try from flanker John O’Connor, converted from the touchline by Bennett, followed to leave Shannon 22-10 in front.
St Mary’s hit back with two penalties from Dunne to reduce the deficit to 22-16 and apply tremendous pressure.
But Shannon held firm before McLoughlin availed of a St Mary’s mistake to run in from half way for his second and his side’s fourth.
ST MARY'S COLLEGE: G Dunne; R Doherty, S Grissing, M Sexton, D Fanning; S McCarthy, C McPhillips; K Carroll, G Hickie, R Sweeney, G Logan, R Copeland, D Hall, P Nash, H Hogan (capt). Replacements: S Bradshaw for Logan (55 mins), C McMahon for Carroll (59 mins), D Kilbride for Hickie, Cormac Quinn for McPhillips, Conor Quinn for Doherty (all 79 mins)
SHANNON: D O'Donovan; R Mullane, M Lawler (capt), F McLoughlin, S Kelly; T Bennett, F McNamara; L Hogan, M Essex, G McNamara, P O'Brien, D Ryan, J O'Connor, E Grace, D Quinlan. Replacements: J Cronin for Essex (20 mins), J Colgan for Bennett (64 mins), K O'Neill for McNamara (70 mins), P Loughnane for O'Brien (76 mins).
Referee: S McDowell.
Kingsley rules
ALAN KINGSLEY was the main man in Young Munster's 13-12 home success over a much improved Dungannon on Saturday. Two well taken first- half tries proved the difference.
Kingsley scored the first after a smashing move, then provided the pass for centre Matthew Costelloe to go over for the second.
The tries left Young Munster 10-6 ahead at the break.
But Dungannon bounced back to lead 12-10 with two penalties from James Shiels before Kingsley kicked the winning penalty.
Further good news for Young Munster was that third-placed UCC fell 10 points behind them after losing 19-10 at Ballymena, for whom outhalf David O'Hara landed 16 points, including a try, which he converted, and three penalties.
In the remaining Division 1B game played on Saturday, Galwegians edged Ballynahinch 15-12.
