Shannon - 24 Blacrock College - 11: The familiar figure of Mick Galwey stood in the midst of the Shannon huddle, his new role of coach evident in his jacket and beanie cap. He spoke briefly to his charges, who had just won the opening AIB League Division One match in defence of the title they won last season.
It wasn't pretty at Thomond Park - excruciating would be a more apt adjective - but for most of the 300 or so hardy souls that stuck it out until the end, the home win would have glossed over the preceding 80-plus minutes' fare.
The final score, if not the victory, flattered the home side, who tagged on 11 points from the 79th minute as a 14-man Blackrock - wing Michael Price had been sin-binned - finally succumbed to the pressure. They conceded two penalties and deep into injury time suffered the kind of reverse that befalls teams who seek redemption through desperate measures.
A quick kick-off to the short side was gathered at full tilt by Mossie Lawlor, a second-half replacement. He made decent yardage and Shannon went through a couple of phases, sucking in the Blackrock cover to allow second row Stephen Keogh to score in the opposite corner. In truth though the visitors were already dead and buried.
Blackrock's performance warranted a more tangible return, a fact recognised by Galwey.
"I have nothing but admiration for the way Blackrock came down here and took the game to us. I told the lads afterwards that they can expect more of that through the season. Everyone wants a crack at the defending champions."
There was nothing patronising in those words. The visitors took the game to their opponents up front, and were hugely successful in their driving maul, especially from lineouts. The whole Blackrock pack put in a sterling effort and none more so than number eight Shane Madigan.
Indeed the interpretation of referee Olan Trevor with regard to mauling had a bearing on the outcome. Blackrock were crucially penalised for collapsing a couple of times, whereas Shannon weren't in the first half when they were blatantly guilty of it.
In truth though the visitors barely escaped across the half-way line in the second half, having had first benefit of the wind and turned 10-6 down. The one time they did, they crafted a fine try, the groundwork done by full back Conor Kilroy, who demonstrated good footwork in heavy traffic.
Madigan took his offload to storm into the Shannon 22 and from the recycle centre Andrew O'Neill outpaced the cover. Kilroy couldn't convert but after 48 minutes Blackrock led 11-10. They will reflect on the fact that some of their problems were self-inflicted, a frailty at times out of touch and also some flawed decision-making behind the scrum.
Galwey's decision to introduce Lawlor, Gary McNamara and the excellent Jerry Flannery on 50 minutes emphatically swayed the game in favour of the home side but arguably the crucial replacement was that of Andrew Thompson with David Delaney. The latter used his boot to good effect, pinning Blackrock into their own 22.
Denied any respite as the Shannon pack built momentum, Blackrock were forced to concede penalties. On 62 minutes Tom Cregan - who had an indifferent game with the boot - nudged Shannon back in front with a penalty and on 79 minutes amde it 16-11 with another.
A man short, Blackrock continued to find themselves hemmed in and conceded another penalty three minutes into injury time that effectively denied them the bonus point.
Keogh's try 60 seconds later was largely irrelevant in the context of the result.
Shannon number eight David Quinlan, repatriated after a year in Australia, was easily the game's outstanding player and particularly in the first half was an important figure for the home side. His try after 14 minutes was typical, a powerful surge from a five metre scrum, helped by some powder-puff fringe defence.
Cregan, who had earlier kicked a penalty, added the conversion. Blackrock's response came from the boot of Conor Kilroy during that period.
Galwey's coaching career is up and running while Blackrock must find a cutting edge to augment a hard-working pack.
Scoring sequence: 2 mins: Cregan pen, 3-0; 8: Kilroy pen, 3-3; 14: Quinlan try, Cregan con, 10-3; 16: Kilroy pen, 10-6 (half-time 10-6). 48: A O'Neill try, 10-11; 62: Cregan pen, 13-11; 79: Cregan pen, 16-11; 83: Cregan pen, 19-11; 84: Keogh try, 24-11.
SHANNON: J Lacey (capt); T Cregan, B Tuohy, E Cahill, D O'Donovan; A Thompson, F O'Loughlin; F Roche, N Conroy, T Buckley, E Halvey, S Keogh, C McMahon, D Quinlan, J O'Connor. Replacements: J Flannery for Conroy (50 mins); G McNamara for Roche (50 mins); M Lawlor for O'Donovan (50 mins); D Delaney for Thompson (59 mins). Sin-binned: Keogh 25 mins).
BLACKROCK COLLEGE: C Kilroy; A Pinto, A O'Neill, D Quinlan, M Price; P O'Toole, P Beirne; A Sweeney, C Gee, I McLoughlin, D Gannon, M Legge, D Dillon, S Madigan, R Rogers (capt). Replacements: P Caldwell for Beirne (61 mins); S Abbot for Legge (68 mins); C Murphy for Gee (69 mins). Sin-binned: Price (75 mins).
Referee: O Trevor (Munster).
