Sunday’s Well End Famine

Sunday’s Well ended a 21-year wait for a senior trophy at Woodleigh Park on Saturday when they caused an upset to win the Cyril Fitzgerald Plate.

Sunday’s Well 20 – 12 Shannon
A devastating performance by the Sunday’s Well pack in the opening forty minutes that saw them lead 20-0 at half time was the decisive factor in this win for the Cork side.

Shannon were shell shocked at half time but great credit to the Limerick side as they battled hard in the second half to get back in the game and could have caused a pulsating finish had Ronan McKenna’s conversion of their second try gone over to reduce the deficit to six with eight minutes remaining, but luck was on the ‘Well’s side as the ball struck the upright.

Shane O’Riordan opened the scoring with a drop goal for the ‘Well after three minutes.

The ‘ Well pack were rampant in the opening stages as they had Shannon camped deep inside their own Twenty Two. They extended their advantage on ten minutes, when a drive by the pack saw John Moynihan touch down for a try and O’Riordan converted for a 10-0 lead.

Midway through the half, the ‘Well scored their second try, when following a line out on the half way line, the ball went out the line to full back Cathal Quinn and his pace saw him out sprint the Shannon defence to score in the corner and O’Riordan added the extras.

O’Riordan was off target with a penalty on thirty four minutes, but made amends, minutes later with another effort for a 20-0 interval lead.

Whatever was said at half time to the Shannon players had the desired effect, as they tried to bring their backs more into play and they were rewarded with a try six minutes into the second half when David Evans cut through the ‘Well defence to score under the posts and McKenna converted.

Midway through the second half a break by Shannon center Shane Mullally saw him being stopped just short of the line.

Ten minutes from time the ‘Well were reduced to fourteen when Cyprian Jouve was yellow carded.

Two minutes later a cross field kick saw Shannon prop Jason Cronin touchdown in the corner but McKenna’s conversion attempt came back off the upright.

The ‘Well pack regained control and played the clock down for a deserved victory.

Sunday’s Well: C Quinn; C Keegan, C Jouve, D Loftus, A O’Neill; S O’Riordan, P Condon; M Moynihan, J Moynihan, F Moynihan; D Kinston, E Murphy; A O’Reilly, K Stokes, J Mulcahy.
Replacements: B Dineen, C O’Regan, E Ackland, A Ansboro, a Singleton, I O’Regan, R Browner.

Shannon: D O’Donovan; T Tobin, S Mullally, R Deegan, C Cunnane; R McKenna, G Ryan; D O’Connell, L O’Connell, J O’Connell; P Kearins, T Cusack; H Kelleher, C Glynn, A Butler.
Replacements: A O’Brien, F Bradshaw-Ryan, W O’Connor, T Bennett, P Curtis, D Evans.

Referee: C Harrington (MAR).