Elwood in top form as Galwegians get better of Shannon

GALWEGIANS paraded most of their big guns at Thomond Park on Saturday. They had Eric Elwood back in regal form at outhalf and as many as six members of the Connacht pack up front — and they needed them all and then some to eke out a four-point AIB League victory over Shannon.

In the circumstances, it was a splendid match, much helped on a miserable afternoon by a benevolent display of refereeing by David Tyndall who waited 20 minutes of the first half before awarding the first penalty. There were only four in all before the interval and another nine in the second half.

It wasn’t he was letting things go that should have been punished, rather that he used his common sense and left many in the crowd of around 500 wondering why we can’t have more of the same every week.