Late show gives Scots hope
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SCOTLAND produced a dramatic finish at the Bught on Saturday, scoring 10 points in the final minute to give themselves a fighting chance in the return leg in Ennis this weekend.
But they still trail overall by six points and face a daunting task if they are to pull off the first win under the new home and away format.
For most of Saturday’s match the Irish looked to be in command as Scotland’s young squad, who had several making their senior debut, struggled to cope with the occasion.
Scotland manager Drew McNeil was cheered by the late rally, but is realistic about his side’s chances in County Clare on Saturday.
"The first thing to say is that I am mightily relieved," he said. "Realistically, we got out of jail.
"To go to Ennis 16 points in arrears would have been an impossible situation, but six points that is definitely within our scope.
"We were well out of it in the first half and even when we had them under pressure after the break, our finishing was poor."
Ireland were inspired by a sensational performance from top hurler Patrick Horgan, who hit a hat trick and continually punished the Scots with accurate hitting from distance.
The stocky Corkman led the Scottish defence a merry dance scoring 23 of his side’s 25 points and gave early notice of his calibre when he fired over the bar of the hurling H-type goalposts for a point to open the scoring in the fourth minute.
Scots fans celebrated minutes later when Kevin Bartlett showed his finishing prowess with a 35-yard strike for two points but within a minute Horgan stunned the home support with a brilliant individual effort, first losing marker Daniel Cameron before smashing the ball past a helpless Stuart MacKintosh in the Scottish goal.
Steven MacDonald then spurned a chance to close the gap when his long range effort drifted beyond the upright.
A single from Horgan extended the Irish lead to 8-2 and then in the 21st minute he returned to torment the Scots defence with another strike after leaving Donald Irvine floundering in what was virtually a carbon copy of his earlier goal.
McNeil promptly rung the changes with senior debutant Callum Cruden making way for Fort William’s Niall MacPhee.
The move improved Scotland’s attacking option and double pointers from Bartlett and Steven MacDonald took the score to 13-6 only for Horgan (two) and Shane Dooley to stretch the hurlers lead to 16-6 at half-time.
Within minutes of the restart, the home crowd held their breath as Dooley found himself in space and with only MacKintosh to beat only to blast the ball wide.
A Bartlett two-pointer raised Scots hopes, before Patrick Maher skewed his finish past following a delightful solo run.
Horgan was again on target minutes later for the rampant Irish, but the Scots were becoming increasingly threatening with the MacRae brothers Keith and Finlay troubling the visitors defence.
In quick succession, Shaun Nicholson and Keith MacRae spurned clear opportunities and once again Horgan made them pay with a long range strike.
MacPhee struck a long range one pointer before Neil McManus got his name on the scoresheet for the hurlers.
Drew Howie had a chance for a goal, but scuffed his effort wide and once again that man Horgan made Scotland pay when he scored the goal of the game.
Out of nothing he produced an outrageous sidestep on Scots defender Mark MacDonald and then showed his strength as he held off a couple of despairing tackles before placing the ball beyond substitute goalkeeper Stuart MacDonald.
It looked all over for McNeil’s men, but Kevin Bartlett crashed home a brilliant five-pointer from close range and then with virtually the last action of the match, a long range Neil MacDonald free hit dipped under Bernard Rochford’s bar to dramatically change the dynamics of the contest ahead of Saturday’s second leg.
