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.

It was McDowell's bad luck that the RTÉ cameras were there to film these and other apparent howlers in a refereeing performance about which he will not have the happiest of memories. For instance, man of the match Stephen Keogh had the legs taken from under him after rising high to claim a spectacular line-out catch late in the game and crashed to the ground with an almighty wallop. This was an exhibition of gross dangerous play which the referee, standing a few feet away, inexplicably missed.

"That was a good win out there today, we battled hard for it," said Keogh who had limped out of the match prior to the end with a calf injury he had played for Munster against the Dragons in Wales the night before. "It's not easy on occasions like this, given that I didn't get home until 2.30am.

"This win puts us on top of the table on our own and looking good for the top four. Hopefully we can stay there and build on it for the rest of the season. I love it here, it's a great club. Coming here from UCC, it's a totally different kind of environment.

"The league means an awful lot to Shannon. You see all the same faces and it means so much to them and to the players. I was in and out of the team last year before coming on in the final and barging over the line for a crucial try. The injury that caused me to come off was nothing and I'm all set for Biarritz and the Heineken Cup. The news about Ronan O'Gara is sad but he's a great guy and will come back to us probably a better player."

Even though there was the strongest doubt concerning the legitimacy of Jackman's try, the 'Tarf hooker was the outstanding personality in the first half. He was the springboard for everything his side did and seemed to pop up just about everywhere. It was his disputed try, converted from the touchline by David McAllister, that enabled his side to turn over only two points, 12-10, behind. Shannon had managed only three penalties and a dropped goal by Dave Delaney and wouldn't have been facing the second half with any great confidence.

These doubts were accentuated within four minutes of the restart when 'Tarf flanker David Tafanel finished off a fine attack for a try that McAllester converted to put them in front for the first time, 17-12. However, Shannon are not the kind of side to sit back and accept defeat. And it was Keogh who showed their intent as he charged through for a trademark try that Delaney converted to restore their lead. 'Tarf were now forced to play catch up and paid the price when Shannon flier Brian Tuohy intercepted a pass on his own 22 and romped home for the clinching try.

In his jubilation, Tuohy produced a melodramatic scoring dive which almost forced him to lose possession. One can only imagine the abuse he would have taken from his coach, Mick Galwey, who always preferred to get the job done without a sign of flashy touches.

In any case, Delaney added the points and Shannon were set for a home semi-final in the AIB League.