The next came 7mins later, when winger Aaron Spring out sprinted the opposition defence from the half-way line, which was also converted by Tadhg. It was twenty-five minutes before we scored again not due to any significant challenge from the opposition but from our own poor handling skills with a succession of knock-ons deep in the Crescent half. Shannon Hooker Jason Cronin scored under the posts on the thirty-sixth minute after a very positive period of recycled phased pressure from Shannon on the Crescent goal-line. Two minutes later, Shannon scrum-half Alan Bennie crossed the line for Shannon’s fourth try which secured the bonus point. In fairness to Crescent they didn’t throw in the towel and continued to attack the Shannon line, but they were no match for outstanding Shannon Full-Back Paul Curtis who intercepted a poor Old Crescent pass and his blistering turn of pace left the Crescent cover in his wake to score a try in the 43rd minute. Tadhg converted to leave the score 35 – 0 at half-time.
After half-time Shannon made two changes Gonzalo Escobar replaced Brian Downey in the front row and Daragh Turner replaced Tadhg Bennett – Daragh switched to wing and Ben Sargent switched to No.10. The Old Crescent out-half Paul Loughnane kicked the re-start into the Shannon 22m and they gathered it, but they telegraphed their ensuing back move and the ever alert, Alan Bennie intercepted and ran the length of the field to score under the posts on the 48min his second try of the night. Ben Sargent converted. There followed a period of stalemate between both teams, Shannon were penalised time and again by the referee for various infringements from drifting off-side to hands in the ruck, which resulted with the sin-binning of Jason Cronin on the 52minute. Old Crescent tried to make the best of the situation but fell short, within striking distance of the Shannon line, the Shannon defence remaining resolute. Shannon replacement Prop. Gordon Britchfield scored a try under the posts after Alan Bennie made a run up the centre of the field and he pop passed to Gordon, was charging forward in support was unstoppable from inside the Crescent 22m line. Ben Sargent kicked the convert. Old Crescent continued to press the tiring Shannon defence and in the dying minutes of the game winger John O’Dwyer crossed to score a try in the left hand side corner on the 81st minute..Paul Loughnane converted to leave the score at Full-Time at 49pts to 7.
Team: K.O’Neill, J.Cronin, B.Downey, D.Leahy, K.Hanley, E.Cunnane (Capt.), J.O’Toole, J.Deegan, A.Bennie, T.Bennett, S.Arthur, B.Sargent, C.O’Neill, A.Spring, P.Curtis.
Subs: G.Escobar, G.Britchfield, D.Turner, W.O’Connor, J.Doran, D.Ryan, J.Bedford, G.Broderick.
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