Super Scots in charge ahead of Irish return
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SCOTLAND will look to complete a stunning shinty/hurling test series victory over Ireland in Newry, Northern Ireland, on Saturday after taking a 23-14 lead last weekend in Inverness.
Kevin Bartlett’s accuracy from free hits racked up 13 points for Scotland to give them their first victory over Ireland’s hurlers since winning the first test in the 2010 series at Croke Park by a single point.
Bartlett added to his points tally by netting Scotland’s third goal, which lay to rest Ireland’s hopes of a comeback.
Ronald Ross’s men are set up nicely for their first series win over the Irish, although they will expect their fired-up hosts to be keen to exact revenge.
In Saturday’s game at the Bught, Patrick Maher, Conor Lehane and Patrick Horgan, three of the four top-flight hurlers in Michael Walshe’s squad, lined up in the frontline.
With the quality of these players, the Scotland management team knew beforehand that their whole team would have to work hard to ensure supply was limited to the men Ireland were pinning their scoring hopes on.
Ross will be satisfied that every man in his squad contributed to this task, with Newtonmore’s Steven MacDonald, who picked up the Marine Harvest player of the year award on Friday evening, and skipper Finlay MacRae of Kinlochshiel defensive stand-outs.
Ballachulish’s John MacDonald, making a return to the international set-up, was a workhorse in the middle of the park, whilst the Irish defence found the prolific Roddy MacDonald and the ever-alert Bartlett difficult to harness up front.
Scotland had the benefit of the wind behind them in the first half and quickly exploited this when Bartlett fired over the bar for two points in the opening minute after Ireland had conceded an early free hit well within Bartlett’s range.
As Ireland passed up a few opportunities for points over the bar, Bartlett added another two points from a free hit and this was quickly followed by a Roddy MacDonald goal in the 17th minute, the big Kyles striker tucking the ball low past Eoin Reilly.
Scotland were in command and a side cut from the touchline by Bartlett added two more points to their tally to take them in to a nine-point lead.
Ireland opened their account in the 24th minute with a Horgan free hit from distance for a single point.
This geed up the visitors and a goal quickly followed with Cork’s Lehane netting in spectacular style, showing blistering pace after receiving the ball just inside the Scottish half and racing away from marker Steven MacDonald and the intervening Conor Cormack before rifling a vicious volley into the top corner of MacDonald’s net.
The Scots’ lead was then cut to four points when Horgan drove a free hit on the centre line between the posts for a single point.
Scotland needed to add further to their total before the interval and Paul MacArthur sent a 25-yarder over the bar from open play for a single point.
Horgan’s point from open play was Ireland’s last score of the first half, with Bartlett taking his first-half points tally to nine after being given the benefit of the doubt by referee Wood when he over-ruled his goal judge, who had indicated the free hit had not gone between the sticks.
With Scotland leading 1-10 (13) to 1-3 (6) at the turnaround, the chances of Ross pulling off a win in his first senior international looked promising.
Darragh O’Connell got Ireland off to a good start after the break with a quick long-range point over the bar, but Scotland responded with another Roddy MacDonald goal after a Bartlett cross from the right was touched on by
MacKintosh to the Tighnabruaich man, who despatched a low drive into the net to increase the home advantage to nine points.
Lehane slotted over the bar from open play for a point, but within a minute, the frustrated Irish defence gave away yet another foul which Bartlett directed over the bar for two more points.
Being 10 points adrift, Ireland were now totally up against it, but a touch of genius from Maher gave them hope in the 50th minute when the All-Ireland winner got on the end of a clearance and ran at the Scots’ defence, flicking the ball over Steven MacDonald before descending on goal and firing a low drive low into the net.
Five minutes later, Bartlett converted another free hit from the left for two points.
Ireland came back at their hosts and, although Lehane and Paul Divilly each notched single-pointers, three other point-scoring opportunities were missed by the visitors.
It was fitting that Bartlett sealed Scotland’s victory in the 68th minute, capping his man of the match performance with a goal that was beautifully engineered and clinically executed. Steven MacDonald sent a free hit from well inside his own half down the left to Roddy MacDonald and his cross into the danger area was picked out of the air by Bartlett who then made space for himself to net high into the net from close range.
Within a minute, Horgan struck the final point for a well-beaten Irish side which was left to marvel at two wonder saves from Lovat custodian Stuart MacDonald, who denied Horgan and Lehane in the closing minutes.
The second test takes place on Saturday at Pairc Esler in Newry, Northern Ireland, on Saturday. The match has a 5pm throw-in and will be shown on BBC Alba on Sunday at 4pm.
Also in Newry on Saturday, Scotland and Ireland’s under-21s meet in their shinty/hurling international which has a 3pm start. Preceding this at 1pm will be a shinty/camogie challenge between Scotland’s senior women and a County Down select.
