Munster Senior Cup Winners 1999/00
|
Munster Senior Cup Winners 1999/00 |
|
We captured our 5th Munster
Senior Cup of the decade and our 12th in all, in a thrilling final at Thomond
Park on October the 16th '99. It took 20 minutes of extra time to separate
us from Young Munster, but  when
the final whistle came it was all the sweeter. To win the cup, Shannon
had to overcome holders Garryowen, Dolphin, last season's beaten finalists,
Cork Constitution and then Young Munster. We scored 143 points in all and
conceded just 43. John Lacey was top try-scorer with 4. Mick Galwey collected
his eighth Cup-Winners medal, a record for any player in the history of
the competition. Below is a match-by-match account of the success. |
||
| SHANNON beat the holders Garryowen in absorbing
encounter! (25/09/99)
Munster Senior Cup First Round : Garryowen 7 Shannon 11 Rugby-starved Limerick fans turned out in large numbers today to witness Shannon dethrone the short-lived holders of the Munster Senior Cup in the unfamiliar surroundings of Dooradoyle, thus depriving them of the unique opportunity of winning the title twice in the same year. Shannon got off to a great start and looked the hungrier. Within two minutes No. 8 David Quinlan crossed the line following some good work by the pack. Conor Bourke failed with the conversion. Garryowen proceeded to miss 3 penalty chances in a row and this was followed by a penalty miss by Bourke. There was no further scoring in the first half, despite some sustained pressure and a series of scrums on the Garryowen line which yielded nothing. 5-0 to Shannon at half time. Garryowen started better in the second half and were rewarded with a try by scrum-half Shane Whelan, which was successfully converted. 7-5 to the home team. On 20 minutes, a backrow move, started on the Shannon 22, was unlucky not to yield a try in the corner at the other end. However, one sensed that Shannon were upping a gear and the effort would soon payoff. That it did, with Conor Bourke converting a penalty, awarded in the 25th minute. A drop goal attempt by Jason Hayes went wide ten minutes later. However, the tie was effectively sealed after 40 minutes, when further pressure on the Garryowen line yielded another penalty, again converted by Bourke. Veteran Noel Healy had come on for Shannon with 5 minutes to go. The following was the starting lineup for Shannon: Marcus Horan, Mark McDermot (Capt), John Hayes, Mick Galwey, John Langford, Alan Quinlan, Eddie Halvey, David Quinlan. Peter Stringer, Conor Bourke, Maurice Lawlor, Alan McGrath, Jason Hayes, John Lacey, Brian Roche. |
||
| SHANNON advance to Munster Senior Cup Semi Final!
(02/10/99)
Munster Senior Cup 2nd Round: Dolphin 11 Shannon 78. "Top Drawer Rugby from the Shannon Lads" A huge win over hapless Dolphin at Musgrave Park, Cork today, saw Shannon advance to the Semi-Final stage of this year's Heineken Munster Senior cup. They scored a whopping 78 points, with Dolphin getting a consolation 11. John Lacey got three tries to add to the four he scored a few weeks ago. Welcome back, John. Mossy Lawlor, Mick Galwey, and Alan Quinlan helped themselves to a brace each, with David Quinlan, Niall McNamara and Brian Roche the other try scorers. Conor Bourke converted nine of the twelve tries. The last four in the competition are: SHANNON, Young Munster, Richmond and Cork Con. |
||
SHANNON Blow Cons Away ! (8/10/99)
Munster Senior Cup Semi-Final :
Cork Con 14 Shannon 31
It may be Rugby World Cup 99 at newly revamped Thomond Park next Thursday, but two days later sees the mouth-watering prospect of Shannon and Young Munster battle it out in the Munster Senior Cup final, a competition we last won in 1998. At Musgrave Park on Friday evening, the Shannon machine kept rolling and demolished Cork Constitution's challenge. Shannon surprised many by sending 'utility' player Noel Healy on the park with the number 2 jersey on his back, in place of the injured Mark McDermott, but he did not disappoint. Anthony Foley returned to the back-row after his injury enforced lay-off, and Colm McMahon started on the wing. David Quinlan took the pressure off Noel somewhat by taking the lineout-throwing duties. Colm scored two tries showing he is a danger whatever position he plays in, and John Lacey added to his impressive try-haul this season with a 5-pointer also. What a lovely try it was too, resulting from some fine backplay from a lineout inside the Shannon half. Conor Bourke, at out-half, converted 2 tries and 4 penalties, to leave Shannon comfortable winners in the end. However, it didn't look comfortable right up to the break, with the sides level at 8 points each, into injury time, when Colm got the first of his tries. Bourke's conversion made it 15-8. Shannon's superior forward play in the second-half enabled them to gain a certain amount of revenge for the 2 defeats last season in the AIL and cup. SHANNON: Jason Hayes, John Lacey, Colm McMahon, Maurice Lawlor, Brian Roche, Conor Bourke, Peter Stringer, Marcus Horan, Noel Healy, John Hayes, Mick Galwey, John Langford, David Quinlan, Eddie Halvey, Anthony Foley. 
Subs: Alan McGrath for Mossy Lawlor, Niall McNamara for Brian Roche, Jim Galvin for Conor Bourke. The other semi-final, played on Saturday at Tom Clifford park, saw Young Munster beat Richmond 13pts to nil. |
||
| SHANNON win last Munster Cup of the nineties
(16/10/99)
Munster Senior Cup Final : Shannon 23 Young Munster 13 Shannon won the Munster Cup at Thomond Park, on Saturday, in a hard fought tussle which had to go to extra time before being decided. Rugby is not a game for the faint-hearted and that was proven today as it went down to the wire, taking the extra 20 minutes to decide it. On a perfect playing surface but in very wet conditions the 6,000 plus crowd was treated to a rather uneventful first half. A penalty each (Conor Bourke for Shannon and ex-Shannon player Tommy Cregan for Munsters) after 20 and 22 minutes respectively, left the score at 3-all at the break. Shannon, however, could have been in front when, after forcing Munsters into conceding a lineout on their line, they fluffed it by knocking on. 
Having come out second best in the first half, Shannon improved their game in the second. Recently acquired winger from Sunday's Well, John O'Neill replaced Brian Roche after 10 minutes of the second half. Five minutes later, Peter Stringer was forced to retire with a knee injury and he was replaced by Cormac O'Loughlin. On 19 minutes, having just missed a kickable penalty Munsters scored a try in the left corner after stealing a Shannon throw. Cregan converted to make it 10-3. 22 minutes into the half, Shannon worked a brilliant try from a lineout 5 yards from the Young Munster line, Anthony Foley getting the touch-down as the pack drove over to the left of the posts. Conor Bourke took his time with the conversion and levelled the score at 10-all. Niall McNamara came on for Maurice Lawlor in the centre. With 10 minutes remaining in regulation time, Bourke converted a penalty to put Shannon ahead. Noel Healy then replaced John Hayes in the front row. With 2 minutes left on the clock, Young Munster drew level again with another penalty. And that's how it ended in normal time. There was then some confusion as the players seemed to think that a replay was on the cards. However, it was announced that there would be two 10 minute periods of extra time. Shannon were the better team in extra time and mid-way through the first period, Bourke added another 3 points with a penalty in front of the posts. 16-13 for Shannon at the end of the period. Then came the move that probably won it for Shannon. After 5 minutes of the second period, Young Munster pressure had forced Shannon into conceding a lineout 5 yards from their own line. However, ex-Australian international, John Langford rose to claim it, and from the take, Shannon rumbled up to their ten yard line. The ball was released to McLoughlin and the scrum-half found touch in the Munsters' half. Shannon saw out the remainder of the game deep in the opposition 22, and capped it all with a try under the posts by Jason Hayes. Bourke again converted to leave Shannon 23-13 winners. 
Mark McDermott accepted the cup as captain, and Frankie Flynn (who
had admitted to being a bit hoarse during the week) led the Shannon faithful
in a rousing rendition of 'There is an Isle' to start the celebrations
for the best team in the land.
Shannon lined out as follows: Jason Hayes, John Lacey, Brian Roche, Colm McMahon, Maurice Lawlor, Conor Bourke, Peter Stringer, Marcus Horan, Mark McDermott (Capt), John Hayes, Mick Galwey, John Langford, David Quinlan, Eddie Halvey, Anthony Foley. Replacements: Cormac O'Loughlin, Niall McNamara, John O'Neill, Alan McGrath, Noel Healy, Kevin Keane. |