All-Ireland League / UCD 18 Shannon 16: With the game entering the final minute it seemed like Shannon's patience would eventually pay-off when Tom Cregan was given the chance to decide the contest with a penalty from just inside the UCD half.
His clean strike looked destined to edge his side in front until the crossbar intervened to condemn Shannon to their first defeat of the campaign at Belfield on Saturday.
It would have been a travesty if the Limerick men had snatched victory at the death as UCD had put in an impressive defensive display throughout the afternoon, with David Blaney, Simon Crawford and Ian Lynam to the fore.
Despite almost constant pressure, with the students entrenched in their 22 for long periods, it still took until the 67th minute before Shannon's John Lacey managed to scramble his way over the try-line.
Cregan added the conversion, from the touchline, and when he slotted his third penalty with four minutes remaining it appeared like their momentum would be the deciding factor.
But this well-balanced UCD side have been threatening to take a big scalp - they drew with Cork Constitution last week - and two first-half tries ultimately swayed the contest.
With the game just seven minutes old, former St Michael's schoolboy Ken Kennedy - a product of the ever-improving sports scholarship scheme - broke through the centre of the Shannon defence to go over for the first try.
The next try encapsulated everything good about the 15-man running game that is synonymous with College rugby. Second-row Crawford led the charge for the line, only to be held up a metre short, but some quick hands from Paddy Hickey-Dwyer kept the move alive to send Gareth Hayes in at the corner.
Niall McNamara added the conversion, after an early penalty, to leave them leading 15-3 at the interval.
In the second half, Cregan kicked his side within touching distance, but the well-structured UCD defence denied them the opportunity to set up the platform required for victory.
An example of the ferocity that went into the tackle was exemplified by a bone-crunching hit by Crawford on Brian Buckley as the Shannon man attempted to set up an attacking situation.
If UCD can reproduce the form they displayed in the opening 40 minutes for the rest of the campaign there is no reason why they will not be pushing hard for their first top four spot.
UCD: P Bredin; G Hayes, K Kennedy, P Hickey-Dwyer, S McCarron; N McNamara, D Geraghty; J Moran, D Blaney, I Lynam, P Callanan, S Crawford, K Cooke, N Coughlan, D Blaney. Replacements: M Moynagh for Lynam (17-29 mins), M Moynagh for Moran (56 mins), J Moroney for McNamara (72 mins), M Hastings for Geragthy (77 mins).
SHANNON: J Lacey; T Cregan, B Touhy, E Cahill, D O'Donovan; A Thompson, F O'Loughlin; G McNamara, J Flannery, F Roche, B Buckley, J Hadnett, C McMahon, J O'Connor, T Hayes. Replacements: T Hogan for Hadnett (52 mins), J Blaney for Flannery (68 mins).
Referee: M Kilgore (Ulster)
