Shannon champions deserving of the win

Shannon 25 Belfast Harlequins 20

Harlequins deserve immense credit for fighting back from an impossible situation at the interval, with Shannon 25 points to the good. But, they came up just that little bit short against the defiant champions who deserved their win.

Harlequin's captain Jarlath Carey summed up the tale of woe: "we gave it our best shot but it really wasn't good enough. I was delighted with our second half response, but you don't give a team like Shannon a 25 points start and survive.

"We threw everything we had at them, but our inability to score for long periods meant we were always struggling. All credit to Shannon, they defended very well in the second half, they frustrated us and forced us to turn over possession at key moments. We did our best, but it was never going to be good enough."

That first half display will rank as Shannon's finest of the season. The pack dominated possession and the back division ran with incredible fluency.

It was, according to Andrew Thompson, a pre-ordained plan. Thompson, who won a record seventh league medal after coming on as a replacement late in the game, could only watch in awe as his young colleagues ran Harlequins ragged.

"I don't think Harlequins expected us to be as ambitious early in the game and I think they were shocked by the intensity of it all."

They surely were, and capitulated as Shannon ran in for three tries to establish a lead that ultimately proved unassailable.

"It was a little too close for comfort later on, but the game was really in the bag at half-time. I thought the lads played magnificent rugby throughout that first half and in patches during the second half. Overall, I think we were worthy winners," added Thompson.

Ultimately, it was Shannon's ability to mix and match that sealed the win. They moved the ball wide at pace when they wanted, attacked the blind side when they needed to and defended brilliantly when called upon to do so.

Eddie Halvey's swansong (he announced his retirement after the game) was marked by a stunning personal contribution alongside captain Tom Hayes, Tony Buckley, McMahon and Stephen Keogh.

Frank McNamara was the perfect stand-in for the injured Fiach O'Loughlin and the remainder of the back division contributed hugely to the win.

What a pity that Dave O'Donovan's participation came to a premature end when he sustained a horrendous knee injury, after colliding with a television unit stationed on the half way line.

But O'Donovan will look back happily on his performance, as will Ian Dowling, Brian Tuohy, Eoin Cahill, Fionn McLoughlin and Dave Delaney.

It was a day when they displayed the full range of skills that had already helped propel them to the final.

Coach Michael Galwey was delighted. "I was proud of the boys for a variety of reasons. They attacked well and defended well. It was up there as one of our best performances of the season.

"I was pretty confident at the interval but I was also sure Harlequins would come back at us. The wind played a big part in determining the areas of the pitch in which the game was played. We spent most of the second half in our own territory," he said.

It was different in the first half. Delaney kicked Shannon into the lead after four minutes and Brian Tuohy, helped by Dowling's marvellous blindside run, scampered in for a 21st minute try that Delaney converted.

The out half added a penalty after 28 minutes and Shannon cut loose in the closing stages with a further two tries. McMahon intercepted as Harlequins tried to run out of trouble, and he made it the 35 metres to the line. Three minutes from half-time, Nigel Conroy squeezed in at the corner after Halvey supplied the scoring pass. Delaney converted brilliantly from the touchline.

The Harlequins hit back with two scores early in the second half, a penalty from Ian Humphreys and a try from Matt Mustchin. Against less accomplished sides, that could have been the start of a dramatic revival.

But Shannon battened down the hatches and kept Harlequins scoreless for long enough to hold on to their title. Humphreys did score in the 72nd minute but they had to wait until the first minute of injury time for Greg Mitchell to score another. Humphreys successful kick put Harlequins within sight, but it came too late to make a difference.

It might not get easier for Harlequins, who will lose up to half of Saturday's starting side to other clubs next season at least five players will be going to British Universities and it might get harder too for Shannon, whose star players may be courted by the provinces.

The difference is that they have the silverware to compensate; Harlequins have only memories of what might have been.

SHANNON: D. O'Donovan, I. Dowling, B. Tuohy, E. Cahill, F. McLoughlin, D. Delaney, F. McNamara, L. Hogan, N. Conroy, T. Buckley, E. Halvey, T. Hayes (captain), C. McMahon, S. Keogh, J. O'Connor. Replacements: J. Blaney for Conroy (64), T. Cegan for O'Donovan (65, inj), D. Quinlan for O'Connor, A. Thompson for Delaney (both 78).

BELFAST HARLEQUINS: J. Lowe, P. McKenzie, G. Mitchell, W.P. Strauss, S. Wilson, I. Humphries, A. Matchett, J. Carey (captain), N. Hanna, J. Andress, M. Mutschin, L. McGowan, S. Lamb, C. McCarey, D. Dougherty.

Replacements: R. Best for Hanna, D. Fitzpatrick for Andress (both 46), D. Barbour for Lamb (66), A. Gillespie for Dougherty (75), G. McLoughlin for Wilson, C. Keown for Carey (both 79).

Referee:A. Lewis (Leinster).