Keogh sends Shannon to semis

SIMON McDOWELL is a referee with a habit for finding himself in the news for the wrong reasons.

Memories are still fresh of the Scottish 'try' he disallowed in the opening game of the Six Nations match in Paris which provoked an outburst of condemnation from coach Matt Williams.

McDowell was at Thomond Park on Saturday for Shannon's 26-17 top of the table AIB League victory over Clontarf and was central to many of the crucial moments in the game. It was bad enough when he and his touch judges signalled that a penalty for Clontarf by David McAllister was good when the ball had clearly stayed outside the right hand upright. However, Shannon's sense of outrage boiled over when McDowell and his touch judge, having got themselves into the ideal position, ruled that 'Tarf hooker Bernard Jackman had scored a fair try when there was the strongest doubt that he had put a foot in touch.