Clonmel and Shannon must battle it out again

Clonmel 16 Shannon 16: A draw and a replay on Sunday next was the fitting outcome at Thomond Park yesterday when Clonmel and Shannon staged a mighty battle in the final of the Munster Junior Cup.

Two penalties by Conor Cooney for holders Clonmel against one for Shannon by Ronan McKenna (who did all his side’s scoring) had the Tipperary side in front after a decidedly lacklustre first half. But the game burst into life on the turnover with one side, then the other, taking the initiative as they made light of the difficult conditions to turn in a stirring 40 minutes of committed rugby.

Shannon were unlucky within a minute of the resumption when McKenna struck a post with a drop-goal attempt but very quickly appeared to have swung the game in his side’s favour. Having levelled the scores with a penalty, he intercepted a pass just outside his 22-metre line and outpaced the covering defence to touch down behind the Clonmel posts for a try that he converted himself.