Shannon’s need may have been greater before kick-off, but that didn’t stop Garryowen from inflicting a 12-point defeat on their Limerick rivals in this All-Ireland League Division 1A clash at Thomond Park last night.

Having emerged successfully from some testing Limerick derbies in the space of eight days, Young Munster are all set to launch an all-out assault on the Ulster Bank All-Ireland League in their closing five matches.

They don’t look like title contenders, but Garryowen picked up four crucial Ulster Bank League points with this hard-earned win over Dolphin at Dooradoyle on Saturday.

ONE moment of magic from former Munster scrum-half Mike Prendergast was all it took for Young Munster to take the points in this AIL D1 Limerick derby at Dooradoyle last night.

GARRYOWEN gained vengeance for last year’s final defeat as they beat Bruff 19-9 in a keenly contested ODM Financial Munster Senior Cup decider at Thomond Park last night.

A SECOND-HALF comeback that embraced typical passion and skill helped Young Munster overcome arch rivals Garryowen on Saturday and set up an Ulster Bank League semi-final meeting with holders Cork Constitution.

MUNSTER and Ireland hooker Jerry Flannery played the first half of last night’s All-Ireland League game for Shannon against Garryowen at Thomond Park, without any recurrence of the back and calf injuries that have bedevilled his career over the past two seasons.

Shannon 16 Garryowen 9

DOLPHIN returned to Cork last night convinced they had been the victims of sharp practice after losing 13-12 to Garryowen in a bruising AIB League encounter at Dooradoyle.

Garryowen 12 Shannon 10

IN A TIME of necessity, you do what has to be done to survive.

Team news for this weekend's AIB League games.

Team news ahead of this weekend's All-Ireland League clashes.

A SHORT time can make such a difference — ask anyone in Sunday’s Well, the club that barely survived in senior rugby last season.

All the latest team news for this weekend's AIB League games.

SHANNON’S David Quinlan will captain Ireland in their AIB Club International against England Counties on Friday night (Donnybrook, RTÉ Two, 7.05pm).

ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE champions Shannon have been kept apart from arch-rivals Garryowen in the semi-finals of the AIB Cup, the draw for which was made yesterday.

The teams for this weekend's AIB League rugby fixtures have been announced.

The teams for the upcoming AIB League fixtures have been announced.

DAVID QUINLAN of Buccaneers will captain the Irish team to play Scotland in the AIB Club International on Friday, March 10.

A 38-man squad for the first AIB Club International between Ireland and Scotland in Donnybrook on Friday, March 10 has been announced.

Three-try Belfast Harlequins won through to their first ever AIB League Division One final as Garryowen were dusted down 15-8 at Dooradoyle.

Shannon 17 Garryowen 8

Lansdowne 13 Garryowen 21

Belfast Harlequins and Ballymena have named their teams ahead of this weekend's AIB League action.

Dungannon 15 Garryowen 13

Garryowen 34 Cork Constitution 13

Ireland have named an unchanged team for their Under-21 international with France in Vizille, near Grenoble, next week.

Ireland booked a place in the IRB World Cup in South Africa later this year with a facile victory over Italy in the Galway Sportsground in this U-21 international which saw the Irish run in nine tries.