Shannon Notes December 8^th 2007

We can’t really complain the way our senior team is plodding along can we? Five AIB league wins from five games and place in the senior cup final. I know I keep saying that there’s a long way to April and May when the AIB league honours will be won and lost , but we’ve put ourselves in a strong position to be challenging for those honours after our latest league win over Blackrock. The conditions may well have been difficult at best and deplorable in the main, but both sides gave committed and often enterprising performances. 26-7 was an excellent scoreline for us and despite the slight disappointment at not gaining a bonus point; the lads can be very pleased with the professional job they carried out. Every game has the potential to be a banana skin and Blackrock certainly put it up to us even when they were chasing the game they demonstrated some great handling skills in the wet conditions. I suppose the biggest talking point from a Shannon perspective, result apart, was Anthony Foley’s appearance. It may have been quite a while since he togged out in the black and blue, but his enthusiasm for the club remains as strong as ever. He’s no stranger to Coonagh this season and has been assisting Gallimh and Ian on the training field. He’s a great influence to have around the club and the benefit, especially amongst some of the younger members of the squad is immense. Several players shone, and although Sean Cronin was awarded the AIB man of the match, Dave O’Donovan and Phil O’Connor were close contenders. Starting his very first AIL game , U/20 scrum half Dave Barry acquitted himself very well before Fiach replaced him and another first starter, Killian O’Neill had a powerful game in the front row. After just five minutes Joe Manuel showed his strength and speed to score the first try under the posts and although Blackrock crossed our try line we headed into the break 10-7 to the good with the considerable wind in our favour in the second period. The lead was increased when Andrew Thompson landed a penalty and then we advanced the cause when Dave Quinlan was on the end of a rumbling maul. By this stage we were reasonably comfortable and when another Tommy penalty put us in a commanding position. Blackrock never relented though and ensured the lads had to be alert at all times. The clinching try came on the stroke of full time when Stephen Kelly deservedly scorched over from the half way line. Competent, clinical and constructive was the general feeling in the post match dressing room, but with room for improvement. Two consecutive trips to Dublin will see the year out in the AIB league and first up is St Mary’s College this Saturday. We may have won our last three games against Mary’s, but our record in Templeville road up to recently has been patchy, so a big test is expected. A supporters coach is leaving from Thomond Park at 10am and Tadhg Crowe can be contacted at 087 6524958.

The U/20’s were in sparkling form in Cork last Saturday where they very comfortably beat Con’s in the AIL by 43 nil. It was a devastating performance with the lads crossing the Cork Con try line on seven occasions. Everyone made a significant contribution and when someone like Junior Vice President ,Martin Clancy says that the handling skills were as good as he has ever seen , than who can argue. We finish our 2007with a home match against Bruff next Sunday at 2pm, and the players and Management would like to thank Colm Tucker and Bank of Scotland for supporting the trip to Cork.

Sunday saw a complete washout with pitches all around the area burdened with the vast amount of rainfall that fell. It meant that the second’s game was called off and the Underage completely cancelled.

This Sunday the seconds are away to Garryowen at 2.30 while the ladies also travel to Highfield in the AIL.

Underage fixtures see the U/18’s away to Young Munster with a 12pm start in Derryknockane and the U/16’s travel to Newcastlewest. In Coonagh at 11.30 the U/14’s host Bruff, while on Saturday the U/12’s will travel to Dublin to play St Mary’s prior to the senor game.

Our EGM to discuss the proposed redevelopment of our club pavilion in Thomond Park was an enormous success and once again the foresight of our members has allowed the executive to proceed to the next phase in this exciting development for Shannon. It’s not a forgone conclusion that the project will be completed, several factors need to be negotiated, but at least the body of the club are in total support of the venture. It was great to see our oldest member Stephen Fitzgerald present at the meeting and it was pointed out that it Stephen and others of his era who planted the seeds that bore our success many years ago. So it’s onwards and upwards both on and off the field.

Andrew Mc Namara

Shannon RFC PRO

087 2717163

amcnamara@eircom.net

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