Shannon win keeps hopes alive

SPRIGHTLY veterans Mick Galwey (2) and Eddie Halvey scored the tries that kept alive Shannon’s hopes of retaining the AIB League title and plunged their Limerick neighbours UL/Bohemians ever deeper into relegation trouble.

Saturday’s game between co-hosts at Thomond Park was an extraordinary affair in that Shannon took an early eight point lead, found themselves behind by the same margin at the interval and then romped their way through a one-sided second half to take all five points on offer and look extremely impressive in the process.

The versatile Colm McMahon finished off a spectacular Shannon counterattack to score their first try on seven minutes and Andrew Thompson knocked over a penalty shortly afterwards. However, UL/Bohs weren’t prepared to take this lying down. A couple of penalties by Ian Costello narrowed the gap, Brian Buckley was sin binned and suddenly Shannon were on the back foot as right winger Brian Tuohy outpaced them from all of seventy metres. Costello’s conversion followed by his third penalty had the champions reeling.