Clontarf stun Shannon with late blitz

IT’S seldom Shannon players are left with the feeling of having been “mugged” at fortress Thomond Park, but this was one such rare occasion.

Mon, 08 Jan, 2007 - 00:00

Shannon 16 Clontarf 17 Colm O’Connor

Boosted by a 63rd minute intercept try from Limerick senior football star, Stephen Kelly, Shannon held a significant 13-point lead with quarter of an hour remaining of this absorbing AIL contest.

On another day, Shannon would have closed out the game, strangling the life out of their opponents in the process. But resolute Clontarf shocked Mick Galwey’s men with two late converted tries from winger Matt Nethery and lock Alain Trenier.

So when the final whistle sounded, Clontarf had, in part at least, avenged their AIL final defeat at the hands of their hosts last May.

The win was no more than battling Clontarf deserved against a very inexperienced Shannon outfit which included six members of last season’s successful U-20 side.

Ironically, ‘Tarf’s starting line-up included two former Shannon players, who had tasted AIL success with the Limerick side, scrum-half and captain, Fiach O’Loughlin and out-half Niall McNamara.

Afterwards Clontarf coach Phil Werahiko was quietly pleased with his side’s victory, which helped them retain joint top spot in the AIL table.

But Werahiko knows these two teams could well renew rivalry at the business end of the season. And ‘Tarf have come a cropper against Shannon in two AIL semi-finals in recent seasons, as well as last May’s decider.

“It is always a major achievement when you beat someone like Shannon,” Werahiko admitted.

“For the first 60 minutes we just seemed to contain each other. The difference was that we gave away penalties when we shouldn’t have and they converted them. Their try didn’t come at a good time for us. I felt we had to change our game.

“The players were instructed to go wider and that is what happened. It allowed us get to the try line. The first try gave us belief and we knew we still had enough time. Very few people get the opportunity to beat Shannon. So it’s is nice for the young guys in our team to start out their senior rugby with a result like this.

“We can see that Shannon are going through a development process at the moment. They had a good few U-20s there and I would say that in three months’ time, Mick (Galwey) will have them humming.”

Shannon will get a quick opportunity to avenge this defeat. The sides are due to meet again next Saturday at Thomond Park in the AIB Cup.

“To beat them twice in seven days is a big call,” Werahiko admitted.

“I am sure they will be up for the challenge as they always are. For ourselves, we have to learn to be consistent.”

A combination of injuries and Munster commitments left Shannon without the services of several League “regulars” for the AIL tie.

But Galwey wasn’t about to start excusing his side’s defeat on those factors.

Said the former Munster skipper: “I am disappointed that we were not able to hold on in the end. We did well to be up 16-3. In fairness, Clontarf are a good side. They kept coming at us and scored two good tries.

“I hope our younger lads will learn from today. No matter what level you play at you have to tie up games. On another occasion we would have held onto a lead like that. We are rebuilding, but are still up there near the top of the table. The League is very interesting. It is very tight at the moment and it will go down to the wire.”

Scoreboard

AIB League Division One

Belfast H’quins 6 Dungannon 23.

Blackrock Coll 20 Lansdowne 24.

Galwegians 45 Dolphin 15.

Garryowen 11 Cork Con 12.

Shannon 16 Clontarf 17.

St. Mary’s C 10 UL Bohs 24.

Terenure C 18 Buccaneers 8.

UCD 10 Ballymena 40.

AIB League Division Two

Barnhall 31 UCC 17.