Mowi Shinty / Hurling International – Mowi Quaich
Ireland (0-22) 22-14 (2-8) Scotland
Ireland lifted the Mowi Quaich with a 22-14 win over Scotland in their 2.45pm throw-in at Pairc Esler, Newry on Saturday.
Steven Macdonald sent the first dead ball of the game just the wrong side of the post but, within a couple of minutes, Antrim’s Neil McManus flicked and volleyed a free over the bar from the Irish left to set what was to be the theme of the afternoon.
Ireland doubled their lead when Galway’s Thomas Monaghan gathered a stray ball from Andrew King and made space by juggling the ball between two defenders before sending it over the bar.
Scotland pulled a point back when captain Roddy Macdonald of Kyles Athletic was impeded and, from wide on the left but a bit closer than before, Kevin Barlett drove the ball between the posts.
Ireland went back in the hunt for more points and Neil McManus converted a free from distance on the right after Kerry’s Fionan Mackessy had been fouled. Then Thomas Monaghan took a quick swipe from wide on the left to make it 4-1 with 12 minutes played.
Scotland weren’t as clinical as their opponents but grew in confidence and enjoyed their best period of the first half. Ruaridh Anderson’s effort from the left was saved and Iain Robinson and Roddy Macdonald couldn’t get a shot away but Kevin Bartlett held back and drove low into net from outside the box, to keeper Enda Rowland’s right, to make it 4-4 with just under 20 minutes played.
Ger Millerick added a point from wide of the left to put the hosts back in front and they had keeper Rowlands to thank when he dealt with Steven Macdonald’s ball from distance which dropped on his goal.
Chris Nolan passed up a good chance when the ball fell for him in front of goal but it was turned behind for a 65 which Neil McManus sent over to make it 6-4.
Cork’s Ger Millerick added a point from the middle of the park on the right before some nice skill from Peter Duggan saw him keep a Chris Nolan ball away from two defenders and he fired over to make it 8-4.
Scotland introduced defenders John Gillies and Duncan Matheson for their debuts.
There was a moment of controversy when Ireland’s Ryan Mullaney lost his stick in midfield but still shielded the ball and he was fortunate that Ruaridh Anderson didn’t swing for possession. Steven Macdonald questioned referee Thomas Gleeson who bizarrely allowed play to continue.
Offaly’s Eoghan Cahill was quickly onto a stray pass, and he juggled the ball before sending it over on 34 minutes before Kevin Bartlett’s free from the right made it 9-5 after Craig Morrison had been fouled.
Oban Camanachd’s Blair McFarlane was now on and his long ball forward sent Craig Morrison racing forward. Morrison’s cutback found Iain Robinson’s whose drive was deflected over the bar by keeper Enda Rowland to cut the deficit to 3 points.
Scotland created the last chance of the half on 38 minutes when John Gillies won possession and found Craig Morrison, but he couldn’t pick out Iain Robinson and it remained 9-6 at the break.
There were gasps around the stadium, after the break, when Peter Duggan took the ball down and turned away from two defenders before heading for goal but brilliant diving save to his left from Stuart MacDonald turned the ball away for a 65 which Neil McManus converted with unerring accuracy.
Steven Macdonald found Craig Morrison, who made space, but he shot just wide of the far post from the left before Kevin Bartlett pulled a point back from a free from the left after James Falconer had been fouled.
The Scotland goal survived a scare when a dangerous ball forward from Offaly’s Cillian Kiely was cleared at the expense of a 65 which Neil McManus ruthlessly converted to make it 11-7.
Steven Macdonald’s free was knocked down by Kevin Bartlett to Scott Macdonald and the Kyles man sent the ball just over for a debut point with his effort just inches away from going into the net.
The Irish points kept coming though and Neil McManus was increasingly influential. He converted another free just before the hour after Blair McFarlane had been harshly penalised. Then, Kevin Bartlett’s free from the left was turned by the post by the keeper but Steven Macdonald put the 65 over to make it 13-9.
It was game-on when Blair Morrison’s ball forward was gathered by James Falconer whose shot was blocked but Ruaridh Anderson kept his composure as he sent the rebound high into the net on his left side to make it 13-12 on 62 minutes.
It was end-to-end as Stephen Maher got away from Andrew King and soloed in from the left before putting the ball over to add a point, but Scotland responded as Steven Macdonald’s 65 into the sun made it 14-13.
Stephen Maher’s attempt under pressure forced Stuart MacDonald to stretch to tip the ball away and it was cleared for corner by Duncan Matheson, but Neil McManus was exact with the 65 as Ireland got their noses further in front again.
When Luca McClusker played a long ball forward, Stuart MacDonald did well to halt a run from Peter Duggan, who cut in from the right, and Finlay MacRae got the ball away but an Andrew King infringement gave Eoghan Cahill the change to make it 16-13 with just 10 minutes to go.
Eoghan Cahill went on to enjoy a purple patch as his huge hit from distance counted after another soft free award before Steven Macdonald pulled a point back from a free to make it 17-14 with seven minutes left.
Eoghan Cahill then exchanged passes with Paddy Purcel before sending the ball over the bar following a dead ball wide on the left and the clock was against Scotland. It got worse when Neil McManus delivered a dead ball over from wide on the right to make it 19-14.
Peter Duggan hit the ball off the ground from wide on the right after Blair Morrison had cleared out of the Scotland defence and it was now 20-14.
Neil McManus opened the scoring and he also completed it, adding two more points in stoppage time, one from the right of midfield and the other from distance to make the final score 22-14.
Had the change of rules, reducing the score from a dead ball from two points to one point, not occurred, Ireland would have won 23-20 although Scots would have led by a couple of points going into the closing stages which could have been significant.
Ireland’s impressive captain Neil McManus hardly wasted a ball the whole game, helping himself to eleven points overall, and he was presented with the Mowi Quaich by Ulster GAA secretary, Brian McAvoy.
Scotland manager Garry Reid spoke straight after the final whistle. He said: “I’m actually very disappointed with the final scoreline as I thought we were right in it until the closing stages, but you have to take your chances in these games.
“Ireland were deadly and the inclusion of so many top tier players meant they had the quality to punish any mistakes we made. That brought the fixture to life and, in a way, their quality actually makes defeat a little easier to take.”
Scotland skipper Roddy Macdonald looked back on an exciting 80 minutes, saying: “It was difficult out there as the pitch was quite long, so it was hard to play the game on the ground.
“I thought we battled well, and on another day, we probably should have scored more goals. Fair play to Ireland though as they brought a strong side and were certainly up for it.”
Mowi South Division 1
Bute 8 Glasgow Mid Argyll 0
The Bute first team completed a perfect Mowi South Division 1 season, defeating the Glasgow Mid Argyll second team 8-0 at the Meadows.
This was the final match of the South 1 programme and Bute’s John Wilson got the opener on 8 minutes.
Rory McDonald doubled the Islanders’ lead on 25 minutes and Ryan Craig’s brace on 30 and 44 minutes made it 4-0 at the break.
John Wilson got his second on 65 minutes and Ian McDonald added his name to the scoresheet on 70 minutes.
John Wilson went on to take his tally to four goals with efforts on 78 and 82 minutes.
Bute now step up to the Mowi National Division after coming through this season’s 12 league games with a 100 per cent record.
This Saturday’s Shinty Action
Mowi Premiership
Kinlochshiel v Kyles Athletic
Kinlochshiel and Kyles Athletic meet at Rèaraig.
‘Shiel will continue to give valuable game time to young wing back Kieran Martin ahead of next season whilst Kyles will hope Scotland trio Roddy Macdonald, Andrew King and Scott Macdonald have all returned from the Emerald Isle injury free.
Glasgow Mid Argyll v Lovat
Glasgow Mid Argyll and Lovat play their rearranged match at Peterson Park on Saturday.