Bennett decided the Dubarry Park duel with a crisply hit shot from 28 metres out on the left side. A 74th-minute try from flanker Kevin Leamy, a younger brother of Munster and Ireland star Denis, also proved crucial for the Limerick club.

Beaten finalists in 1998 and 2000, Shannon made the better start with an early converted try from scrum half Ross O’Loughlin, a brother of Clontarf’s Ireland Club international Fiach.

Trinity struck back with winger Killian Stafford setting up centre Robert Green for a 15th-minute try and blindside flanker Shane Young added another, seven minutes later. Out-half Michael Boland converted both for a 14-7 lead at the interval.

Trinity, who lost openside Mark Lynch to the sin bin before the break, still had one hand on the Frazer McMullen trophy going into the closing stages, but Leamy bulldozed through onto a Shane Mullally pass for a telling score. Bennett missed the conversion but more than made up for it with his delightful drop, moments later.