Shannon's youngsters which stood fierce Ballymena pressure in the first half of Saturday's AIB League game at Thomond Park and did just about enough in the second to scrape victory in a game spoiled by the atrocious weather conditions.

Shannon were without all their contracted players and had one or two of their more senior players on the injured list and so in the circumstances this was a fine performance by a side that didn't have a player over 25 in its ranks.

Ballymena had a very strong wind at their back in the first half and pressed continually without being able to breach a very strong Shannon defence.

Ballymena could manage only three penalties by Peter McIntosh against one for Shannon by Andrew Thompson.

Thompson found the target on three further occasions in the second half but also was sent to the sinbin for throwing a punch.

SHANNON: A Thompson, M McNamara, M Lawlor, J Davis, B McNamara, D Delaney, C O'Loughlin, F Roche, J Blaney, G McNamara, B Buckley, N Burgess, T Hayes, D Quinlan, J O'Connor. Replacements: F O'Loughlin for C O'Loughlin 46 mins. J Hadnett for Burgess 73 mi ns.

BALLYMENA: S Young, N Beddow, A Larkin, L McCann, A Maxwell, P McIntosh, B Free, B Young, R Kernohan, A Stewart, D O'Kane, A Graham, D Allen, D McCartney, J Taggart. Replacements: A Gamlin for Kernaghan 43 mins. J Wells for McCann 64 mins. D Patrick for O'Kane 66.

Referee: A Lewis (Leinster).

David Douy, the Narbonne centre, has been banned for 49 days in the wake of his sending off in the 13-10 home Shield Pool 4 defeat by Sale Sharks on Saturday.

Irish referee Donal Courtney acted on the advice of his touch judge David Keane, who informed the referee that Douy had head-butted a Sale player at a maul. The seven-week ban means the 26-year-old Douy will be out until November 25th,