Mowi Shinty/Hurling International – Mowi Quaich
Ireland 0-22 (22) Scotland 2-8 (14)
Ireland lifted the Mowi Quaich with a 22-14 win over Scotland in their 2.45pm throw-
in at Pairc Esler, Newry, on Saturday.
Scotland manager Garry Reid gave starting debuts to Oban Camanachd pair Daniel
Sloss and Daniel MacCuish, Lovat’s Danny Kelly, Kingussie’s Ruaridh Anderson and
Iain Robinson from Newtonmore.
Kyles Athletic’s Roddy Macdonald captained the side, whilst Kinlochshiel’s Finlay
MacRae was capped for a remarkable 20th time.
Within two minutes, Antrim’s Neil McManus flicked and volleyed a free ball
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 Roddy Macdonald was impeded and, from wide
on the left, 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 and several chances were missed as the half progressed. Growing in confidence, however, the visitors began to enjoy their best period of the first half.
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.
Ireland went back on the attack and Ger Millerick added a point from wide left to put the hosts back in front.
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 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.
Kevin Bartlett looked sure to convert a free from just left of centre, but the ball came
off the post to compound Scotland’s bad luck.
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 whose drive
was deflected over the bar by keeper Enda Rowland to cut the deficit to three 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.
Scotland looked lively after the restart and there were gasps around the stadium when Peter Duggan took the ball down and turned away from two defenders before heading for goal but a brilliant diving save to his left from Stuart MacDonald turned the ball away for a 65 which Neil McManus converted with unerring accuracy.
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 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 sent a free from wide
right over before James Falconer saw his strike well saved and there followed a
melee in the goal area as tempers flared with Roddy Macdonald unfortunate to be
the only player identified for a booking.
Neil McManus was increasingly influential and 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 a 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 chance 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.
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 to make it 20-14.
Steven Macdonald found Craig Morrison again but shinty’s top scorer saw his effort
hit the post on 80 minutes.
Neil McManus opened the scoring and 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 the 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 was presented with the Mowi Quaich
by Ulster GAA secretary Brian McAvoy.
Newtonmore’s Steven Macdonald was Scotland’s top performer.
Scotland manager Garry Reid said: “I’m 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.
“It can be soul destroying for our defenders to see balls from distance sail over their
heads and between the posts when they can do nothing about it.
“I thought the referee gave them a couple of soft frees which they took advantage of, but it was only late in the game that they pulled away when our heads dropped a bit.”
This was the first shinty/hurling international for four years and it hopefully sets the
template for the years ahead.
Women’s Camanachd Association
Mowi North Division 2
Strathspey Camanachd 1 Kinlochshiel 11
Mowi North Division 2 champions Kinlochshiel completed their league programme
with a win against Strathspey Camanachd at Grantown Grammar School on
Sunday.
Charlotte Bissett scored the home goal but Kinlochshiel’s Lexie Mackenzie scored seven
times for the second successive match with Niamh Morrison and Katie MacRae
adding doubles.
Skye Camanachd 3 Strathglass 0
Skye Camanachd B beat Strathglass at Pairc nan Laoch on Saturday.
Leah Macleod, Lilidh Campbell and Donna MacKenzie scored the goals to give Skye
their second league win of the season.
This Saturday’s shinty action
Kingussie v Skye Camanachd
Kingussie can clinch the Mowi Premiership title for the third successive season if
they beat Skye Camanachd at the Dell.
Savio Genini should return for Kingussie, whilst Skye’s William MacKinnon is suspended for what is manager Kenny MacLeod’s final match in charge before he
steps down.
Kinlochshiel v Kyles Athletic
Playing at Rèaraig, Kinlochshiel 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.
Photograph: Kinlochshiel’s Finlay MacRae and Peter Duggan, Ireland, wait for a high ball. Photograph: Neil Paterson.