Shannon end Belfast Harlequins hopes

Belfast Harlequins 19 Shannon 24

Belfast Harlequins' hopes of making the top-four play-offs ended at Deramore Park today as Andre Bester's side crashed to a 24-19 defeat to Shannon.

To have any chance of pipping Buccaneers for the fourth place, the Belfast side needed to win with a four-try bonus point.

They came very close, scoring three tries in a frenetic second half, but in their doomed pursuit of a fourth try they actually ended up losing the game as well, with Shannon hooker James Blaney going over for the killer blow in the final minute of normal time.

The home side had got off to a terrible start, leaking two tries by Shannon full-back John Lacey despite playing with the wind on their backs.

But within four minutes of the second period, Quins signalled their intentions with tries by Ajay Derwin and Johnny Lowe to level the scores.

Shannon retook the lead with an Andrew Thompson penalty but Quins dominated the rest of the half in their desperate pursuit of four tries.

Greg Mitchell finally powered over for Quins third try and the lead two minutes from time before Blaney went over for the crucial score.