AIB CUP FINAL Shannon 12 Blackrock 9:SHANNON SIMPLY know how to win finals. That is the simple assessment of Saturday's nail-biter in Athlone but the theory stands up to closer examination. The Limerick club's remarkable dominance of domestic rugby continued mainly due an ability to make the right decisions at crucial moments. The reward was a first AIB Cup for the Thomond Park trophy cabinet.
"Yeah, I suppose that performance epitomises Shannon in finals," said coach Mick Galwey. "There was a real cup match feel to it. I said to the lads this game would be decided by who made the least mistakes. We made a few ourselves, but we did enough."
Blackrock will learn from this defeat but their season can still be salvaged by sneaking into the league play-offs with a bonus point victory over St Mary's in Stradbrook next Saturday, providing Clontarf lose at home to Galwegians, whereas Shannon now look odds on for the double.
As ever, the forwards provided the platform for victory, with one moment just before half-time illustrating this. A clever kick from Blackrock's Fionn Carr (seemingly Leicester Tigers-bound) had winger Stephen Kelly in trouble near his own try line but the Shannon backrow arrived en bloc to rescue the situation.
The absence of veteran place-kicker Andrew Thompson meant someone was required to step up and put points on the board (the teeming rain meant difficult conditions underfoot). Man-of-the-match Mossie Lawler flicked over two drop-goals, while David O'Donovan was on the money with a pair of well-struck penalties.
Lawlor put Shannon in front for the first time on 48 minutes, while his second strike (grazing a Blackrock player's fingertips) reaffirmed this advantage with 10 minutes to play.
Backs-to-the-wall stuff followed but Shannon have been down this road before and the defence produced a herculean effort.
Again, it came down to game management. Twice during the last quarter referee Simon McDowell indicated a Blackrock advantage within Carr's kicking range but they continued to test the defence, which eventually resulted in handling errors.
However, deep into injury-time Blackrock's inventive back play finally produced a return. Outhalf Kyle Tonetti sent replacement scrumhalf David Moore dashing into the 22 with a cleverly disguised offload but the under-20 international sought contact when a pass would have created a two-on-one scenario out wide.
Shannon survived and cleared their lines. Blackrock continued to attack but matters were brought to a conclusion by a massive double hit from Pádraic O'Brien and captain David Quinlan to dislodge possession in midfield.
Blackrock's first-half return of just two Carr penalties was punished straight after the break. Shannon openside flanker Colm McMahon making a rare line break was collared but McDowell gave O'Donovan his second shot at goal to level matters at 6-6.
They took the lead on 48 minutes when Limerick footballer Stephen Kelly kicked in behind, ensuring a race with the covering Paul Graham. The number eight had no choice but to concede a lineout close to the 'Rock try line. Two phases later Lawler slipped into the pocket to make it 9-6.
Back came Blackrock with Carr squaring it up again after disruption of ruck ball - a regular feature of the contest by both sides.
The winning score came off another clever kick that found Carr, so dangerous in attack, isolated and turned. The Shannon juggernaut rumbled infield, taking their time before scrumhalf Fiach O'Loughlin felt it appropriate to give Lawler another shot. Cue the renditions of There is an Isle
Scoring sequence:9 mins: F Carr pen, 0-3; 19: F Carr pen, 0-6; 30: D O'Donovan pen, 3-6. half-time. 42: D O'Donovan pen, 6-6; 48: M Lawler dp gl, 9-6; 51: F Carr pen, 9-9; 71: M Lawler dp gl, 12-9.
SHANNON:A Finn; D O'Donovan, M Kinsella, J Clogan, S Kelly; M Lawler, F O'Loughlin; K O'Neill, S Cronin, K Griffin; P O'Brien, D Ryan; P O'Connor, C McMahon, D Quinlan (capt). Replacements: L Hogan for O'Neill (54 mins); L Mullane for O'Connor (66 mins); J Manuel for Kinsella (69 mins).
BLACKROCK:F Carr; S Monaghan, B Canavan, S Morrissey, D Rowan; K Tonetti, D Madigan; K Moloney, S Byrne, R Burke-Flynn; D Dillon (capt), P Huntley; P Ryan, Z Farivarz, P Graham. Replacements: D Moore for Madigan (53 mins); J Hill for Graham (59 mins); S Byrne for R Burke Flynn (78 mins).
Sin bin:P O'Connor (18-28 mins).
Referee:S McDowell (IRFU).
• In the AIB Junior Cup final, Navan beat Tullamore 20-6 thanks to tries from Karl Manning and David Geraghty, while the boot of Ryan Roberts provided 10 points to ensure their first national title.
