MacRae insists Irish deserving of their victory
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
FINLAY MacRae held his hands up after Ireland crushed the Scots 51-23 in Ennis, claiming the hosts display was the best he has seen.
Drew McNeil’s Scots were hopeful of overturning the six-point and 3-1 series lead, which was held by the Irish after the first leg success at Bught Park, Inverness.
But it all went wrong for the Dark Blues as Ireland turned in an emphatic display that left the Scottish players and backroom staff in awe.
"That is definitely the best Irish performance I have seen," said MacRae, who was struggling to comprehend the manner of the loss after the final whistle at Cusack Park.
"To be honest, it must have been brilliant for others to watch and I am going to watch it back again myself because they were excellent.
"But it is hard to be happy, even scoring myself, and all you can say is well done to Ireland.
"I don’t think we’ve scored four goals in a long time, but you cannot sacrifice that for eight goals against the Irish.
"It is hard for the management because they will have to look at that and decide the way forward for next season."
On a glorious autumn day, Scotland’s shinty players were swept away by a 20-minute whirlwind which left them hammered and humiliated by a rampant Irish side.
The thrashing handed out by the Irish is one of the biggest winning margins of modern times and one that leaves The Camanachd Association and Scotland coach Drew McNeil with much to think about before next year’s Test Series.
A rule change to five points for a goal was expected to be of benefit to Scotland this year, but in the aftermath of Saturday’s one-sided contest, McNeil bemoaned the fact it was too many and needed to be reversed to three once again.
Ireland have now won the last four shinty/hurling clashes and they were simply too strong and skillful for a Scottish side who travelled to the Emerald Isle looking to claw back what had seemed a marginal deficit.
The optimism of the Scots pre-match build-up, however, was ruthlessly deflated and long before half-time it became clear that the Scotland back line simply could not cope with the deadly finishing of the Irish forwards.
There were several highlights for the Scots, none more so than from Caberfeidh’s Kevin Bartlett, who went one better than his 11-point haul in Inverness. On Saturday, he constantly looked a threat in front of goal and was easily the Scottish player of the series.
Lovat youngsters Callum Cruden and Drew Howie also enhanced their growing reputations, while Glenurquhart’s John Barr showed that he has the skills and physique to withstand the power of the top hurlers. It was a difficult introduction to the senior game for the Glen’s David Smart, but he adapted well to the role of impact sub.
In an attempt to get early points on the board, the Scots started off with five upfront and the tactic paid immediate dividends when Bartlett nicked a point inside the first minute.
Irish goalkeeper Bernard Rochford then made a tremendous save to deny Keith MacRae before the home side struck back to even matters with a break away point from Tipperary’s Seumas Callanan.
Two further superb saves at close range by Rochford and some frantic Irish defending denied Scotland the breakthrough goal their bright start merited.
Then all of a sudden the sky fell in and the match was finished as a contest.
Brendan Murtagh started the rout in six minutes with a single point, but when a run from deep from Tipperary’s Patrick Maher after seven minutes resulted in the first Irish goal of the day, the floodgates opened.
Ireland rapidly increased their lead with a goal and a point from Murtagh and a hat-trick by Shane Dooley, his second goal coming from an unstoppable direct hit and the third after a slip by Barr.
At the other end, Scotland contrived a brief spell of pressure, but first John Stewart then Keith MacRae failed to convert further chances, while long balls from the centreline were scrambled clear by tenacious Irish defending.
Bartlett did get a point back in the 35th minute and 60 seconds later Finlay MacRae blasted home a free hit for Scotland’s first goal of the afternoon, but the tide swung yet again with Callanan scoring single points three times in quick succession to send the home side in at half-time with a comfortable 24-point cushion.
Scotland opened the second half brightly and neat play by Kyles Donald Irvine set up a Bartlett strike, which brought another fine stop from Rochford.
Ireland stretched their lead further with a brilliant goal from Barry MacFall before Bartlett found space on the left to score his side’s second goal with an unstoppable shot.
Try as they might, the Scots could not keep the Irish out and two rapid points from Dooley and another goal from Murtagh kept the pressure on the visitors.
Bartlett scored another for Scotland in 61 minutes, but a point from Murtagh, another goal by Callanan and two late points for Dooley kept the Irish well in front.
Keith MacRae struck a fine opportunist goal in the last minute and his quickness and first time touch showed what was missing from Scotland’s earlier efforts on goal, yet it was all far too little, too late
SCOTLAND’S under-21 side, striving to win a match on Irish soil for the first time in a generation, came within a few minutes of creating an upset, but were eventually beaten 23-19 as the Irish staged a late rally.
Lovat’s Greg Matheson led the Scots fight, scoring 11 of his side’s points haul, and he was ably abetted by Lochaber youngster Ben Delaney, who grabbed a goal for five points.
Scotland, who lost Glenurquhart’s Neale Reid to a broken arm, also had John MacRae (two) and James Dunn on the scoresheet.
There was, however, one success for the Scots when the women’s squad celebrated a fine 21-5 win as they over a Clare Camogie Select.
