Shannon beware, we’re a much better side now, says Finn
A relatively new AIB fixture, these sides have met only once before (in the 2002/03 season when Shannon won 33-16), but since Bohs got promoted ast May, the prospect of facing Shannon is not as daunting as it used to be.
"That season we played seven games before Christmas and lost them all," says UL Bohs captain, Colman Finn. "We also got relegated. What we found that year was that we didn't have enough belief because there were two or three of those games we should have won and we didn't.
"That experience has stood us in good stead and we now have the belief that we can beat division one teams when we play to our potential. We're playing a style of rugby whereby it's very hard to compete against us."
Their eye-catching style sees Bohs sit comfortably in 8th position, but it's the quality of player coming through their academy that is really pleasing Finn.
Four of tomorrow's team will have qualified from this system while Ian Hanley, Mark Butler, John F O'Connor, Frankie Leonard and Ryan Hartigan are currently being nurtured in the much vaunted academy. "The academy situation is really helpful," adds Finn, "because players in that system train three times a week in UL and then train with the club in the evening that's as professional as you can get.
"This year we can keep going for the 90 minutes. The level of fitness now is completely different to three seasons ago. We've more guys who have come through the academy who are used to that training regime.
"There are four players who have come through the academy system already. It's great to see them stay with the club after coming through.
"When you see where the likes of Barry Murphy (Munster) and Keith Matthews (Connacht) have gone, it gives great encouragement to those at the club or those coming to the club. It means that if you are playing with Bohs, you can get to the professional game with us."
Coach Mike Tewkesbury guided UL Bohs to promotion but another member of their backroom staff, Ian Costello, has formulated a style that other teams, including Shannon, will have difficulty counteracting.
"Ian has changed our game and made us more expansive and more creative than last year. We concentrated more on defence in previous years and this year we are concentrating on our attack a bit more. That's great from an attacking point of view we just can't forget about our defence either."
Table-toppers Shannon will await to see whether any of their Munster replacements at Cardiff last evening that included Ian Dowling and Tony Buckley, are available for selection this afternoon.
Jerry Flannery, who starred with Munster last weekend, has his hooker's spot currently occupied by 19-year-old Seán Cronin while Shannon's back five have a settled look about it with Donnacha Ryan and Pádraic O'Brien two very compatible second rows. Antóin Meany was drafted into the side to counteract Colm McMahon's injury, while John O'Connor and Eddie Halvey continue to ooze class.
Mossy Lawlor, Eoin Cahill, Brian Tuohy and Andrew Thompson complete what is a very formidable Shannon side which UL Bohs will do well to beat.
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