Co Carlow ... 10 Shannon ... 18: League champions Shannon took their chances where Co Carlow failed in this Division One game played before an attendance of about 1,500 at the Oak Park Grounds in Carlow yesterday.

International duties and contracted Munster players meant that Shannon fielded a depleted side which found themselves 10-0 in arrears after five minutes play.

Carlow full back Billy Murphy crossed for a splendid second-minute try, converted by centre Michael Swetman, who also kicked a fifth-minute penalty.

But Co Carlow were not to score again in the game, missing a number of very kickable penalties.

Shannon struck in the ninth minute when, from a scrum on the Carlow 22, visiting captain David Quinlan broke to feed right wing Niall McNamara for a try which was brilliantly converted from the touchline by Andrew Thompson.

Matt Cooke, the Carlow flanker, was denied a certain try by a despairing Shannon hand trip, which proved a turning point.

Thompson levelled the match with a penalty before half-time.

In the second half the champions camped in the Co Carlow 25 for a five-minute period in the third quarter, forcing six successive scrums but failing to break down the fine Carlow defence.

Shannon did eventually go in front when Thompson kicked a lovely 58th-minute penalty, and two minutes later David Quinlan scored a fine try after second-half replacement Eddie Halvey was centrally involved in the build-up play.

Co Carlow could have rescued a bonus point but Swetman was off the mark with his penalty taking.

CO CARLOW: P Brennan; J Hannon, K Corrigan, L McGowan, P Holden; P Syme, M Cooke; D Mallow, D van Zyl, G Jacob, I Dwyer, R Armstrong, M Swetman, M Buckley, B Murphy. Replacements: A Melville for Mallow injured (13 mins); L O'Byrme for Corrigan (61 mins); M Logue for Buckley (75 mins).

SHANNON: F Roche; J Blaney, G McNamara, T Hogan, T Hayes; J Hadnett, G Noonan; D Quinlan, F O'Loughlin, D Delaney, D Walters, E Cahill, A Thompson, N McNamara, J Lacey. Replacements: E Halvey for Hadnet injured (48 mins); T Buckley for G McNamara (59).

Referee: A McDowell (Ulster)

Connacht, with captain Tim Allnutt and vice-captain Warwick Waugh out for the rest of the season, have wholesale injury problems as they prepare for Friday's Celtic League quarter-final against Munster at Musgrave Park.

Also out is long-serving prop Dan McFarland while another prop, Ronan McCormack, is also doubtful.