Maiden Under-20 Win For Shannon

…Hooker Sean Cronin, one of the Shannon Under-20s who have made the step-up to the senior side…

Shannon lifted the All-Ireland Under-20 title for the first time in their history on Saturday as a late drop goal from out-half Tadhg Bennett saw them beat Dublin University in the final.

ALL-IRELAND UNDER-20 CUP FINAL: Saturday, April 22

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY 14 SHANNON 15, Dubarry Park

Scorers: Dublin Uni: Tries: Robert Green, Shane Young; Cons: Michael Boland 2

Shannon: Tries: Ross O’Loughlin, Kevin Leamy; Con: Tadhg Bennett; Drop: Bennett

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, just moments later.