Shannon Come Out on Top at Clifford Park

By Terry Ledger

Shannon’s campaign to win back the ODM Munster Senior Challenge Cup remains on track after they claimed a 13-6 victory over Cork Constitution at Clifford Park on Sunday afternoon. In the AIB League the sides currently hold the two top spots, and so it was expected that this semi final would be a close affair. Having won 8 titles in the last 10 years, Shannon’s dominance in this competition will surely label them favourites when they face Highfield in the final at the end of December.

The overcast conditions did nothing to hinder Shannon’s defenses, as they were put to the test during the first five minutes and soaked up the early pressure exerted by the Cork side. Both Constitution’s Jeremy Manning and Shannon’s Andrew Thompson failed in their first attempts at goal, and it was Shannon’s Padraic O’Brien who claimed the first score when he touched down for a try by the corner flag in the 37^th minute, which was converted by Andrew Thompson to give Shannon a 7-0 lead at the break.

In the second half, Constitution were awarded a penalty allowing Jeremy Manning to make some inroads into the scoreline in the 45^th minute. However, his sin binning reduced Constitution to fourteen men. In the 50^th minute Shannon’s Andrew Thompson stretched Shannon’s margin once again by adding three points from a successful penalty kick. Five minutes later Tom Gleeson clawed back three points for Constitution with his on target goal attempt. Thompson stretched Shannon to a 13-6 lead in the 60^th minute with another penalty kick on target, and despite Shannon’s defense being tested for the remainder of the game, with Constitution keeping play inside Shannon’s half, Constitution were not able to deny Shannon the victory.