Shannon remain top of the AIB League Division One after carving out a hard-earned 22-14 victory over Dungannon at Stevenson Park this afternoon. It was touch and go at one stage if this game would go ahead at all but Shannon will be very glad that it did, as they outscored their opponents three tries to one and when they had to defend in the closing stages they did so exceptionally.
Effectively, they controlled the game from start to finish, scoring their tries at all the right times. Scrum-half Cormac O'Loughlin got their first, converted by Tommy Creegan after only 15 minutes and they never looked back. Full-back John Lacey then added a second, again converted by Creegan. Mark Bradley replied with a Dungannon penalty before half-time but they needed early scores in the re-start to stay in the match. Instead they fell to Shannon.
Full-back Lacey got through for his second try four minutes after the re-start and that appeared to be it for Dungannon. However, two Mark Bradley penalties either side of a similar score by Creegan cut the deficit to 13 points and Dungannon finished strongly. They were rewarded seven minutes into added time with a try by full-back Ben Cunningham but it was all too little too late and the day belonged to Shannon, extending their lead at the top of the table.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
