Two tries in first-half injury time from Lansdowne's left wing Robbie Dolan and flanker Stephen Rooney made all the difference at Lansdowne Road.

Trailing 28-5, Shannon were out of it, though centre Mossie Lawlor started and finished a move that produced the try of the match in the 65th minute.

Scorers: Lansdowne: R Niland 2 tries, O Ennis, S Rooney, R Dolan try each; M Woods 4 cons; Shannon: J Lacey, M Lawlor, C O'Loughlin try each; D Delaney con.

Lansdowne: B Geraghty; R Niland, L O'Brien, G Hamilton, R Dolan; M Woods, S Whelan; E Bohan, O Ennis, A McKeen, S O'Connor, G Quinn, S Rooney, H Goddard, C McEntee. Replace- ments: B Cusack for Rooney (46 mins), P Barry for O'Brien, Cusack for Goddard (both temp), K Becker for Whelan, R Fallon for Ennis (both 71 mins), Barry for Hamilton, D Dornan for McKeen, B Quigley for O'Brien (all 74 mins).

Shannon: J Lacey; D O'Connell, M Lawlor, J Davis, Jason Hayes; D Delaney, C O'Loughlin; M Horan, F Roche, John Hayes, M Galwey, B Buckley, T Hayes, J Hadnett, D Quinlan. Replace- ments: D Costello for Hadnett (38 mins, temp), N McNamara for Lacey, J O'Connell for Hadnett (both 43 mins), D Costello for Buckley (51 mins), J Langford for Galwey (68 mins), I Sherwin for O'Loughlin (76 mins).

Referee: A Lewis (Leinster Branch).