Captain believes Scots can turn it around
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SCOTLAND captain Norman Campbell believes the Scots can still secure the 2012 Marine Harvest Shinty/Hurling trophy in Ireland this weekend, providing they become more clinical.
The 33-year-old Newtonmore defender was relieved to see Caberfeidh’s Kevin Bartlett and Lochaber’s Neil MacDonald grab two late five-point goals against the Irish in Inverness.
Had those two counters failed to materialise, Drew McNeil’s men would have been travelling to County Clare having to make up a 16-point deficit.
Instead, they will take the field at Cusack Park in Ennis 25-19 down and with only six points to claw back.
With five points awarded for a goal this year, that is certainly not impossible and Campbell reckons the Scots will be confident, despite losing to a Patrick Horgan-inspired Ireland team in the first leg.
"It’s all to play for now," said Campbell, who was awarded the Marine Harvest Player of the Year 24 hours before the first leg.
"We were a little fortunate to get the last goal, but we’ll take it and it has kept the tie alive for us.
"Technically, one goal would bring the game back within our reach and we’ll take a lot from the second half performance in Inverness because dominating Ireland is something we have struggled to do in recent years."
Campbell was deployed in an advanced role in the first half in Inverness before being anchored back into the centre of defence in the second 40 minute period.
That gave Scotland a platform from which to build, but the captain knows there is work still to be done.
"The key difference was that Ireland took their chances," he said. "We had a few really good opportunities to get goals and struggled to get them.
"We also punished ourselves by not converting over the bar. All the boys were hitting them great in training, but it was different on the day and that is maybe something we need to look at."
