Shannon rescue win in AIB Cup

An injury-time penalty goal from Andrew Thompson saw Shannon edge out Belfast Harlequins in a thrilling AIB Cup second round clash at Deramore Park this afternoon.

Sat, 13 Oct, 2007 - 21:23

An injury-time penalty goal from Andrew Thompson saw Shannon edge out Belfast Harlequins in a thrilling AIB Cup second round clash at Deramore Park this afternoon.

'Quins, who beat Shannon in the semi-finals of last season's competition, fell to an agonising 19-17 defeat today as Thompson came up with the goods for the visitors.

The league veteran kicked 14 points in all, with three of his four penalties in the first half and he also converted back rower Cian O'Connor's early try.

Cave, back on club duty after a short stint in the Ulster squad, used his pace and power to slice over for two well-taken tries and game looked to be turning in the hosts' favour as Willem Slabbert converted both efforts for a 17-16 lead.

But Thompson, the eight-time AIB League winner, held his nerve to land that last-gasp kick and send Shannon into the third round.

One of the results of the day came at the Mardyke as Division Two's UCC overcame top flight side Dolphin for a comfortable 21-9 win.

Second half tries from Brian Dennehy and Irish Under-19 international Scott Deasy helped the students edge this Cork derby. The turning point came in the 52nd-minute as the hosts, having led 9-6 at the break thanks to three Gavin Dunne penalties, sent centre Dennehy dashing in under the posts.

Dolphin had little in response and out-half Barry Keeshan, who kicked three penalties, accounted for all of the visitors' points.

At Eaton Park, tries from Chris Browne, Chris Henry (2) and Stephen Dougan, allied to a penalty try, guided Ballymena to a well-earned 37-21 success over their former top flight rivals Buccaneers.

A series of unforced errors contributed to Buccs' downfall and they trailed by 23-0 at the break but did improved in the second half as Adrian Penzhorn, Marcus Madden and Sean Carey each got over for a try.

Having failed to qualify for the competition in the previous two seasons, Blackrock College had an AIB Cup debut to remember as they cut loose for a 42-6 win over Instonians at Stradbrook. Winger Shane Monahan, one of the Ireland Under-20s' Grand Slam-winning heroes, grabbed two of the Dubliners' tries.

Old Crescent's divisional advantage continued for little against Division Three champions Bruff whose consistent display helped them eek out a 19-12 victory over their Limerick rivals.

In what was the sides' first ever meeting in an AIB-sponsored competition, Bruff were well on course for a place in the third round as they had a 19-0 buffer built up by the interval.

Prop David Horan plunged over for a 31st-minute try, which Brian Cahill converted, and Cahill fired over four penalties - after 9, 14, 38 and 40 minutes - to stretch the hosts nearly three converted scores clear.

Crescent, good winners over Naas last weekend, predictably came back with Billy Leahy and Alan Purcell both nabbing tries, with the latter adding one conversion, but Bruff controlled matters in the final quarter and will be a team to avoid in January's third round.

Meanwhile, a number of Leinster Academy and senior-capped players crossed the whitewash in UCD's 32-21 dismissal of Greystones at Belfield.

Sean O'Brien, Cillian Lett and Fergus McFadden, who recently made his debut for the province, scored the best of the bunch for the students, while Bobby Clancy, Ryan Gerber and James Power grabbed three converted tries for Greystones.

Cork Constitution, the inaugural cup winners in 2005/06, put in a workmanlike display to see off Suttonians by 33-10 at the JJ McDowell grounds. New Con captain Merle O'Connell was amongst the tries, as was experienced winger Cronan Healy, while Suttonians, whose one trop came from Paddy Maguire, tried gamely despite losing both Aidan Kearney and John Tainui to second half yellow cards.

In the most high-profile match of the day, defending cup champions Garryowen had a safe passage through to the third round as they spoilt what was an historic day for Dublin club Lansdowne.

Playing in their first ever match at the RDS, their home for the next three years due to Lansdowne Road's redevelopment, Lansdowne succumbed to a 23-5 defeat as they failed to match the firepower of the visitors.

Now coached by former Scotland scrum half Greig Oliver, Garryowen looked in rude health after their run last month as Ireland's representatives at the Languedoc-Roussillon international tournament in France.

8-0 in front at the break thanks to a try from Munster scrum half Gerry Hurley and a neat drop goal from out-half Alan Kingsley, the Limerick men went further clear when Kingsley cut through for a converted try.

Back rower David Lavin scored off a lineout maul for Lansdowne's only points and Garryowen made certain of the victory with a fabulous second try from Hurley who went on an outside break and won the race to his own chip ahead.

TODAY'S RESULTS -

Ballymena 37 Buccaneers 21, Eaton Park

Belfast Harlequins 17 Shannon 19, Deramore Park

Blackrock College 42 Instonians 6, Stradbrook

Bruff 19 Old Crescent 12, Kilballyowen Park

De La Salle Palmerston 32 Bective Rangers 18, Kilternan

Dublin University 3 Clonakilty 19, College Park

Dungannon 19 UL Bohemians 26, Stevenson Park

Galwegians 18 Ballynahinch 13, Crowley Park

Lansdowne 5 Garryowen 23, The RDS

Malone 48 Midleton 17, Gibson Park

Old Belvedere 21 Wanderers 7, Anglesea Road