An AIB League and Cup double is still in Shannon's sights after they overcame St. Mary's College in today's cup quarter-final at Templeville Road.
Shannon turned around 16-5 ahead thanks to a Jake Paringatai try and the accurate place-kicking of Andrew Thompson. Mary's kept in touch courtesy of Robin Copeland's 27th-minute try.
A Frank Lynch penalty and a converted try from Leinster prop Juan Gomez cut the gap to 16-15 but tries from David Quinlan (61 minutes) and Sean Cronin (78) booked Shannon a semi-final meeting with Galwegians.
Mary's came into this game off the back of four successive league and cup wins and a good AIB Cup pedigree having reached the final in 2006 and also made the last-eight twelve months ago.
For all their AIB League success, Shannon have yet to capture the cup and the closest they came was last year when they lost narrowly to Belfast Harlequins at the semi-final stage.
Mary's started strongly this afternoon but Shannon's pack earned the visitors two early penalty opportunities - after 12 and 16 minutes - which league veteran Thompson popped through the posts.
Thompson was an influential figure in Shannon's midfield as he helped young Joey Moran adjust at out-half. Moran started in place of the unfortunate Tadhg Bennett who dislocated his shoulder last week against Ballymena.
Three minutes after Thompson's second penalty, flanker Paringatai got over for his first try for the Limerick club. It came after the Shannon pack had mauled forward from a lineout just outside the Mary's 22-metre line.
The New Zealander has the strength to break free from ten metres out and make the try line with Thompson adding the conversion.
Set piece ball also set up Mary's only try of the first half. The Dubliners attacked off a close range but were held up.
Their captain Gareth Logan was stopped short on a subsequent surge, however back rower Copeland, a former Kilkenny College pupil who recently made his senior debut for the club, was able to squirm over from just metres out.
Mark Sexton failed with the conversion attempt and Shannon bounced right back to set up a 30th-minute penalty for Thompson which he bisected the posts with.
But Shannon's bad luck with injuries continued when they lost scrum half Fiach O'Loughlin to a head injury and David O'Donovan, a regular at full-back, was forced to deputise alongside Moran in the second half.
Mary's showed good control and dominated the third quarter possession-wise. They also had the lion's share of territory during that period and they began to make a mark on the scoreboard as Shannon came under increased pressure.
Lynch kicked a 45th-minute penalty and just four minutes later, Argentinian front rower Gomez powered over for a try after a series of rucks in the Shannon 22.
Lynch converted but his kick proved to be Mary's final score of the game as Shannon regained their composure during the closing 20 minutes.
Their number 8 and captain Quinlan, who fought off a finger injury to start, touched down right on the hour mark. The try came after hooker Cronin had taken a quick tap and with the ball moved wide, numbers out on the right saw Quinlan ghost over.
The lively Cronin made the game safe two minutes from time when, after a bout of aerial ping pong, he picked up a loose ball on the hosts' ten-metre line and the Ireland 'A'-capped forward showed a fine turn of pace to run in the clinching seven-pointer.
Scorers:
St Mary's College: Tries: Robin Copeland, Juan Gomez; Con: Frank Lynch; Pen: Frank Lynch
Shannon: Tries: Jake Paringatai, David Quinlan, Sean Cronin; Cons: Andrew Thompson 2; Pens: Andrew Thompson 3
