On the day they held a press conference to air their views on the future of the competition, Shannon had to rely on a penalty with the last kick of the match to force a draw in Saturday's AIL division one tie at Thomond Park.

Shannon are incensed by a suggestion from the IRFU that they should fulfil four fixtures in 10 days in April to clear up their fixtures backlog. They are only slightly less incensed that all five of their internationals are forbidden from representing the club.

Their sense of grievance was hardly alleviated when two tries by prop Richard Mackey, the type of score once the preserve of the mighty Shannon pack, and a penalty by David Humphreys left them trailing 13-0 at the interval. Shannon's youthful and much changed backline finally clicked in the second half and a couple of well-taken tries by John Lacey and John O'Neill brought them right back into the picture.

A smartly taken drop goal by David Humphreys edged Dungannon six points in front again, only for Shannon to strike for a third try that while beautifully created, also owed much to some very weak tackling.

Andrew Thompson converted and then landed a penalty and Shannon suddenly found themselves four points in front. Down at the other end, Dungannon put on the pressure at a series of scrums and when a Shannon man dived in to the opposing side of the scrum to prevent a pushover try, referee Alain Rolland was left with little option but to award a penalty try which was converted by Humphreys.

Time was all but up at this stage but true to their character, Shannon came again and were awarded a penalty on the 22 metre line which their captain Thompson coolly slotted over.

Scoring sequence: 3 minutes: D Humphreys penalty, 3-0; 28 minutes: R Mackey try, 8-0; 33 minutes: Mackey try, 13-0 (half time); 52 minutes: J Lacey try, 13-5; 54 minutes: J O'Neill try, 13-10; 60 minutes: Humphreys drop goal, 16-10; M Lawler try; A Thompson conversion, 16-17; 68 minutes: Thompson penalty, 16-20; 80 minutes: Penalty try, Humphreys conversion, 23-20; 84 minutes: Thompson penalty, 23-23.

SHANNON: J Lacey; J O'Neill, J Davis, A Thompson, M Lawler; D Delaney, C O'Loughlin; M Horan, F Roche, G McNamara, J Langford, B Buckley, R Collins, C McMahon, D Quinlan. Replacements: F O'Loughlin for C O'Loughlin; T Hayes for Collins, both 50 minutes.

DUNGANNON: B Cunningham; A Hood, R Constable, J Bell, J Cunningham; D Humphreys, S Bell; J Fitzpatrick, A Clarke, R Mackey, A Kearney, P Johns, A Boyd, A Hughes, T McWhirter. Replacements: G Leslie for Mackey (70 minutes); R Mercer for S Bell (55).

Referee: A Rolland (Leinster).