Champions Shannon off to flying start
St Mary's College 13 Shannon 42
Reigning champions Shannon ran riot against St Mary’s College at Templeville Road, scoring five tries in a 42-13 defeat of the Dubliners.
Three seasons ago, on the opening day, Mary’s surprised Shannon with a 26-21 defeat but this time around, the Limerick giants came prepared.
Mick Galwey’s side were just too good in all facets of play and they raced into a 23-3 half-time lead thanks to touchdowns from Frankie McNamara and John O’Connor.
League veteran Andrew Thompson added the conversions and three sure-footed penalties with Mary’s sole reply from a John Sexton penalty.
McNamara and Eoin Cahill combined to send Munster winger Ian Dowling over in the early minutes of the second half and the procession continued when Shannon centre Brian Tuohy pounced on a loose ball on 53 minutes to race over from 30 metres out for the bonus point try.
35-3 in front, Shannon lapsed when allowing James Norton in for a try. They did allow Mark Donald in for another unconverted score for the home score, but Tuohy’s 77th-minute second, created by Dowling, confirmed the visitors’ dominance.
Scorers: Mary’s: Try: James Norton, Mark Donald; Pen: John Sexton
Shannon: Tries: Frankie McNamara, John O’Connor, Ian Dowling, Brian Tuohy 2; Cons: Andrew Thompson 4; Pens: Thompson 3
