Limerick Rugby - Munsters dent Shannon’s AIL survival hopes

NOT too many would have predicted an 18-0 win for Young Munster over Shannon at Tom Clifford Park before kick-off.

An improving Shannon side, scrapping for their AIL Division 1A survival facing a Young Munster outfit on a six game losing run, although safe from relegation.

But not for the first time, the formbook went out the window as the two fierce Limerick rivals went head-to-head in a crucial top flight AIL fixture. Shannon’s need may have been greater at Clifford Park, but mid-table Munsters’ played with far more urgency, intensity and cohesion.

A try in either half from the flying Darragh O’Neill and centre Mark Doyle put the home side on the road to a convincing victory against opponents who were strangely lethargic. Shane O’Leary also kicked a conversion and two penalties.

Young Munster Director of Rugby, Mike Prendergast will have been chuffed with how his players responded in his final home game in the role. Prendergast heads to France this summer to take up a coaching role with Top 14 side Grenoble.

This defeat, coupled with UL-Bohs plucky home win over St Mary’s, is a major blow to Shannon’s hopes of avoiding relegation to 1B. The Parish side have never played outside of the top flight since the inception of the AIL.

Nine-time AIL winners Shannon are level on points with bottom side UL-Bohs, going into next Saturday’s final weekend of regular season fixtures. Shannon, remain just above the Annacotty side in the table by virtue of their superior points’ difference.

While the AIL’s most successful club host recently crowned AIL winners Lansdowne at Coonagh on Saturday, UL-Bohs travel to Temple Hill to take on Cork Con. It promises to be a dramatic, rollercoaster ride of an afternoon.

After Saturday, one of the two Limerick rivals will be relegated to 1B for certain and the other will have to rely on winning a play-off game against the side finishing second in 1B in order to guarantee their survival in the top flight.

Shannon head coach, James Hickey said: “We know what it is like to be on a run of losing six games. Young Munster were massively motivated for a lot of reasons, one being it is Mike Prendergast’s last home game as head coach.

“We spoke in the dressing room afterwards. The feeling is that there are more positives than negatives. One of them is that we still control our own destiny. We know what we need to do. UL-Bohs have to go for a bonus point win because we have a better points difference.

“We will have a good week’s training. We are not far off what we are trying to do. It is disappointing not to pick up a point today.”

Young Munster’s Director of Rugby, Mike Prendergast said: “I am very proud of the players. We were playing against a Shannon side who were extremely hungry to win. We had a bit of a heart to heart after a couple of hard weeks. In a few games we weren’t far off, but didn’t get the rub of the green.

“Today, I couldn’t ask any more from the boys. Their hunger and intensity were massive. Today isn’t about me, it’s about the guys inside in the dressing room.

“I have had a very good four years here as coach and you couldn’t ask for any better send off.

“Going over to Grenoble next season is a new challenge. I spent a year in France for a year playing with Bourgoin, so I know a small bit about the rugby culture over there.”

SCORERS – Young Munster: Darragh O’Neill, Mark Doyle try each, Shane O’Leary two pens, one con.

YOUNG MUNSTER – Derry O’Connor; Craig O’Hanlon, Harry McNulty, Mark Doyle, Darragh O’Neill; Shane O’Leary, Mike Prendergast; Alan Cotter, Ger Slattery, Hugh McGrath (Capt); Sean Duggan, Tom Goggin; Mark Rowley, Darren Ryan, Neville Melbourne. Replacements: Daniel Montgomery, Darragh Cantillon, Evan Mulcahy, Luke Russell, Lukas Kuntz.

SHANNON - James Loxton; Shane McNamara, Eric Moloney, Richard Mullane, David O’Donovan; Tadhg Bennett, Rob Guerin; Marcus Horan, Duncan Casey, Gary McNamara; Fergal Walsh, Sean McCarthy; Emmet McLoughlin; Leonard Mullane, John S Shine. Replacements: Jason Cronin, Mark Corby, James Murphy, Mike Culhane, Cian Cunnane.

REFEREE – Kieran Barry (IRFU)