Rugby: Ring-rusty Shannon struggle

Shannon 20 Co Carlow 11

He was on a world-renowned stage alright, but in a different show entirely. On Saturday, Thomond Park had rocked to the rhythm of another epic Munster European triumph yesterday it was AIL Division One, Contepomi lining out with Carlow against Shannon, and on and off the pitch, the contrast was stark.

"It was a win but I don't know about it being a good day," was the straight-forward assessment of Shannon captain Tom Hayes.

"It wasn't the prettiest game of rugby ever, was it? We seemed to be a bit ring-rusty, I don't know why; a few breakdowns in communication, maybe it was just all the changes we've made from the team that played all along, just goes to show the importance of continuity."

So much can be said in a few sentences. This was a game with a lot of endeavour, enterprise even, entertaining enough in its own peculiar way, but it was also a game marked by numerous unforced errors by both sides, knock-ons, wayward passes, ground-gaining players flying solo missions, left in splendid isolation.

Initially, the muscular Carlow pack looked as though they were going to dominate, but with Shannon hooker Jerry Flannery showing exactly why he's keeping the highly-rated Munster reserve James Blaney on the bench, with captain Hayes showing superb leadership, that prospect soon ended.

Scientifically, it's possible to prove that the bumble bee can't fly; by the same logic, there is absolutely no way the roundly-built Carlow number 8 Andy Melville should be able to fly around the pitch, cover the amount of ground he does in every game, yet he does, did so again yesterday.

Despite that effort, however, overall the Shannon pack did the business and with man-of-the-match scrum-half Fiach O'Loughlin always in the thick of things, provided the platform for an impressive back-line, which eventually delivered.

Ten points they managed in each half, a try from bustling centre Eoin Cahill, the rest scored by their metronome on the wing, Tom Cregan.

Fifteen points he scored, including a try made by the strength of outside centre Brian Touhy, with Carlow's total coming via two Contepomi penalties and a Wes Whitton try (following a blatant knock-on, let it be said).

What of Contepomi? As Hayes said, it's all about continuity. Under rule, only one non-EU player is allowed per AIL team, so Carlow's best player, South African scrum-half Dan Van Zyl, was dropped, to make way for the Argentinean.

Dropped by whom?

Why, by Van Zyl, who also happens to be the Carlow coach. Poor decision, in hindsight. Contepomi looked at odds with his team, at odds with himself, at odds most of all with his boot, failing to find touch on several crucial occasions, missing a relatively easy conversion at the death that would have given them a bonus point.

"I'm suffering a bit with a bad ankle but that's not an excuse, I should have made those kicks," he said afterwards with admirable honesty. "I trained only once with the team, on Thursday, and it's very difficult to try and get all the calls, the moves, in one training session, and in one game.

"Our players put a lot of effort into this game which was good, but you could see it's a while since I played and that's why it's good to have a run. But it was great to come here and play in Thomond Park.

"It was tough, physical, Shannon is a good team, that's why they are in the top two in the league."

Reflected Tom Hayes: "Four points? We'll take that, but there are some hard matches to come, Ballymena, Clontarf, Cork Con. A long way to go."

SHANNON: J. Lacey; T. Cregan (1T 2P 2C), B. Touhy, E. Cahill (1T), M. Lawlor; A. Thompson, F. O'Loughlin (T. Downes 81); F. Roche, J. Flannery (J. Blaney 68), G. McNamara; T. Hayes (c), T. Hogan (D. O'Donovan 75); E. Halvey (J. O'Connor 65), C. McMahon, G. Noonan (B. Buckley 68).

CARLOW: B. Young (inj 51, B. Murphy); M. Logue, T. Bonnefoy, M. Sweetman, M. Buckley; F. Contepomi (2P), B. Curran; K. Ashmore, A. Galavan (C. Gee 51), L. O'Byrne (K. Corrigan 74); R. Sherriff (c), W. Whitten (1T); D. Cox, D. Mallon (S. Brown 64), A. Melville.

Referee: G. Doyle (U.A.R.)