THIS AIL tie at Dooradoyle yesterday wasn't pretty to watch but it was a Limerick local derby that lacked little in passion and commitment.

Shannon, after a good first half, had to dig deep in the second 40 minutes and showed typical courage by scoring the winning points on their only visit of the second half to the home 22. At that stage they trailed 6-5 but two unforced errors by Garryowen out-half Conan Doyle set up the platform from which his opposite number Tadhg Bennett landed the crucial match-winning three points from a penalty.

Shannon just about deserved the victory. They contained the home pack throughout and when the light blues attacked out wide there were always sufficient number of black and blue jerseys to soak up the pressure and prevent try-scoring chances.

Garryowen will be very disappointed with this performance. Coming on the back of the four-try victory in Ballymena last weekend, they fancied their chances against their keen rivals but they did not produce enough flair this time to record their first win over these opponents in three meetings.

The opening 40 minutes was error-strewn with Shannon enjoying the bulk of possession. Garryowen struggled with their lineout while the Shannon scrum, benefiting from the experience of Marcus Horan at loose head, continually made things difficult at the home put-in. Garryowen got two early chances to go in front, both from distance efforts from full-back Conor Kilroy, but each off target. After soaking up that early pressure, Shannon began to dictate with Tadhg Bennett using his kicking skills to give them good territorial positions.

It was an error by Conor Kilroy which gifted the visitors the opening score. Bennett put a high kick into the Garryowen 22, Kilroy knocked it forward into the hands of the chasing Andrew Thompson and with men over on the right, right winger Pat O'Connor went in for the try close to the corner flag.

Thompson was well wide with the conversion attempt.

Andrew Thompson had a chance to increase the Shannon lead on 20 minutes but sent his kick from the 10metre line wide of the posts.

Continuing to struggle in the set-pieces, Garryowen could not get good field position but they should have levelled the tie two minutes before the break. Hooker Damien Varley broke clear from a maul but hit the ground a metre short before going over for the touchdown. Referee Clancy over-ruled the score for a double movement offence.

Garryowen got some consolation a few minutes later when Conor Kilroy landed a penalty to leave his side trailing 3-5 at the break.

The second half saw Garryowen increase the tempo of their game and when touch judge Noel Sexton flagged for an infrigement , Conor Kilroy put the home side 6-5 in front with a fine kick from far out on the right. Shannon had their scrum-half Fiach O'Loughlin sin-binned on 53 minutes but that did not upset the flow of the Shannon gameplan. They kicked deep at every opportunity and after Doyle's double error, Bennett landed what proved to be the winning score.

Garryowen tried hard in the dying minutes with Ciaran O'Boyle twice opening up gaps in the Shannon defence only for the moves to break down through a lack of support.

A last minute Garryowen scrum outside the Shannon 22 and in front of the posts provided the home side's final scoring opportunity but a massive push by the Shannon pack deprived them of possession.