THE OPPORTUNISM that is so central an element in attaining success and the confidence that comes from it were very evident at Thomond Park on Saturday. Shannon, the reigning Insurance Corporation All-Ireland League champions, demonstrated those attributes as yet another win was recorded, this time over Cork Constitution.
The full complement of points have now been harvested from the two matches played in this season's competition as Shannon set their sights on making it a hat-trick of titles. Even more impressive is the fact that this was their 20th win in 22 matches in the league, since the start of the victory roll that took them to the laurels two years ago, and again last season. 11 is a deeply impressive record of consistency, honed on competitiveness, born of conviction and executed with authority.
The personnel has not greatly changed in all that time, and the key components all remain in place. It was a point readily acknowledged by Constitution coach Ray Coughlan. And he more than most will have a very deep understanding and appreciation of the team's qualities. He was part of the Shannon coaching team before taking over this season at Constitution.
"Shannon have tremendous understanding and have the players in the key areas," he said. Even if they are not playing at their best, they still have the ability to win and have the players that will turn a game their way. They showed that out there again and must be odds on to win the title once more.
"When we put pressure on them, they withstood it. They also took their chances and we did not. We are rebuilding the side after losing so many players and that requires patience. Our inexperience showed in the mistakes we made."
That is a very accurate assessment of the difference that was evident and it was especially so up front. This was by no means a vintage performance from Shannon but it was quite sufficient for the requirements. They led 16-5 after 34 minutes and 16-8 at the interval and with their pack very much on top and especially so in the set pieces in that initial period, they looked comfortable if not totally dominant.
Mick Galwey, John Hayes and Eddie Halvey gave them a very pronounced edge in the line-out with Halvey moving up the line on occasions. He had a very good match and gave signs that he is returning to - even if he has not yet attained - the level of fitness the Ireland selectors deem imperative for national consideration. There was an acerbic ring to the comment made by the Shannon coach Niall O'Donovan: "His performance was very good and important to us - not bad for a player deemed not fit enough for the Irish squad."
On his team's performance, O'Donovan suggested: "The side played well in patches and deserved to win. But we did not play well throughout. We had an 11-points lead coming up to half-time and again just after the interval and should have put the match out of sight. We lorded the line-out in the first half and for a period in the second, but Constitution fought well in a way I would expect from the club. They will always be competitive. If they had kicked a few penalties) they would have come within a score of us. I always felt we were going to win, but you cannot relax your grip on a match.
Constitution made an astute change in the 53rd minute when they brought in Don Lynch to widen the options in the line-out. It made a difference and second-row Ken Murphy had a useful second half in that area. Constitution did indeed miss some penalty chances. Ronan O'Gara failed with two in the first half as well as a conversion and in the second period when Constitution had managed to put some pressure on Shannon, they managed only one successful kick from four attempts, two by O'Gara and two by full-back David O'Brien.
After Andrew Thompson had given Shannon an early lead with a penalty, Constitution got a very good try from O'Brien after 12 minutes as they kept the ball alive after a tapped penalty as their accomplished scrum-half Brian O'Meara moved the attack left and then right after a ruck. O'Gara missed the conversion.
Within seven minutes Shannon scored the first of three tries. Billy O'Shea made a great run down the right flank, to put his side into a very good attacking position. O'Shea was late tackled and from a quickly-taken penalty Halvey gave Anthony Foley a scoring pass. Thompson missed the conversion from the touchline but kicked a penalty after 30 minutes and Galwey then got his side's second try four minutes later as he drove over the line after Aidan Quinlan had made the initial thrust. That left Shannon leading 16-5 and looking set to take command, but O'Gara cut the deficit with a penalty from 20 yards just on the interval.
Three minutes into the second half, Thompson restored Shannon's 11-points advantage and they held that until 19 minutes from the end when O'Gara had his second successful kick at goal. Constitution had cut down Shannon's forward dominance and territorial superiority, but they were contained as the home side always had the man on hand to make the tackle or put in the relieving clearance and had the cushion of an eight-points lead. And when Jim Galvin blocked down O'Gara's attempted clearance and gathered to score a try, that left 13 points between the sides.
It was a little flattering for the winners, who, nonetheless, scored three tries to one on what was an overcast day with intermittent rain making the surface slippery and the ball greasy.
