Scotland U21s went down 25-6 to a strong Irish side in their Marine Harvest Shinty Hurling encounter at the Bught Park on Saturday 24 October 2015.
Garry Reid’s Scotland U21s went into this representative encounter looking to build on last year’s 21-7 win in Ireland. Skye’s Iain MacLeod was given a debut in goal and Lovat’s SSE Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup winner Michael MacKenzie took a place in defence. Skye Camanachd’s Jordan Murchison was another debutant; a reward for the Marine Harvest National Division Player of the Year who had been on target 32 times already this season. Oban Celtic’s Daniel Madej captained the side and he started at full back.
Ireland bosses William Maher and Conor Phelan travelled with Michael Breen from Tipperary and Waterford’s Austin Gleeson in their squad. However forward Conor McDonald from Wexford was unable to make the trip so Waterford’s Colin Dunford was called up as a late replacement. Less was known about PJ Scully from Laois and Kildare’s Gerry Keegan who captained the side but the Scots would certainly be aware of their talents before the final whistle.
The rain was just stopping and the Inverness Royal British Legion Pipe Band led the teams onto a slippery Bught Park main pitch for this 11.30am throw-in.
Ireland started as if they meant business and Jack Fagan grabbed a goal in the opening minute. Fagen collected possession on the Ireland right and he got away from Caberfeidh’s Blair Morrison before sending a looping shot over keeper Iain MacLeod into the far corner of the net to make it Scotland (0-0) 0-3 (1-0) Ireland.
Ireland continued to play at a breath-taking pace and a clever solo run and sweet finish from Ben Conroy made it Scotland (0-0) 0-6 (2-0) Ireland on 8 minutes. Conroy gathered a PJ Scully pass from midfield and he shrugged off the attentions of Daniel Madej before scoring from inside the D.
Austin Gleeson was credited with another Irish point although his ball from the right seemed to go wide of the upright.
Scotland made their first serious attack when Newtonmore’s Calum Stewart made a good run forward. Jordan Murchison got on the end of Stewart’s pass but keeper Paddy McKenna touched his shot round the post. Blair Morrison put the resultant 65 yard attempt wide of target.
Colin Dunford put the ball over to make it Scotland (0-0) 0-8 (2-2) Ireland and the visitors looked in control even at this early stage in the match.
Scotland keeper did well to come off his line and halt a run from Ireland’s James Doyle.
Beauly’s Jack MacDonald swept the ball between the posts to register Scotland’s first score, making it Scotland (0-1) 1-8 (2-2) Ireland.
Scotland got a foothold back in the match when Jordan Murchison won possession and he laid the ball to Glenorchy’s John McNulty who scored with a good shot to make it Scotland (1-1) 4-8 (2-2) Ireland.
However Ireland extinguished any hopes of a fight-back from the restart when PJ Scully controlled a high ball from midfield and soloed in from the left before bulleting the ball home to make it Scotland (1-1) 4-11 (3-2) Ireland.
Scotland threatened again with Ireland keeper Paddy McKenna saving a low Jordan Murchison shot by his left post and he then thwarted Calum Stewart.
Ireland looked dangerous every time they attacked and PJ Scully got onto a Jack Regan knock-down and burst through the centre of the home defence and he gave goalie Iain MacLeod no chance as he scored for a second time to make it Scotland (1-1) 4-14 (4-2) Ireland.
An Austin Gleeson free from the ground extended Ireland’s lead to Scotland (1-1) 4-16 (4-4) Ireland at the half-time interval.
Scotland goalie Iain MacLeod twice saved well again either side of another Austin Gleeson two-pointer early in the second half to make it Scotland (1-1) 4-18 (4-6) Ireland.
Iain MacLeod was called back into action moments as he palmed away a strong shot from wide on the Irish right.
Scotland came within a whisker of grabbing a second goal when a Jack MacDonald effort was saved by keeper McKenna and Jordan Murchison ran forward into the crowded goal area but he batted the ball down, agonisingly wide of the keeper’s right post.
Murchison again went close when a shot from Inveraray’s Lewis MacNicol was saved by McKenna and Jack MacDonald slipped the rebound to the Skye forward but his strike went wide of the keeper’s left post.
When a surging Jordan Fraser run at the heart of the Irish defence was abruptly ended around 18 yards from goal Jack MacDonald’s free was blocked by Austin Gleeson.
This was Scotland’s best period in the game but it was Ireland who would add to their tally.
Captain Gerry Keegan made a superb run down the left before putting the ball over the bar to make it Scotland (1-1) 4-19 (4-7) Ireland.
Ireland defender Keith Carmody cleared the ball off the line to foil Calum Stewart before Scot’s keeper Iain MacLeod made a superb point-blank save from a Marin Kavanagh shot.
Scotland pushed Daniel Madej into attack, where he has featured for his club side Oban Celtic this season, with former Uist Camanachd, now Beauly, player Ewan Campbell taking over at the back.
However when Ireland’s James Doyle controlled a ball from midfield, he turned Ewan Campbell and ran in to score a fifth Irish goal from close range. It was now Scotland (1-1) 4-22 (5-7) Ireland.
The impressive Austin Gleeson then showed his class as he took the ball into space in midfield before striking it between the posts to make it Scotland (1-1) 4-23 (5-8) Ireland.
Daniel Madej got on the end of a Donald Nixon free-hit from the right and sent a drive towards the top corner of McKenna’s net. However the keeper stretched to his left to tip the ball away with his hurl. It was some consolation for the Scots that Gary McKerracher converted the resultant free to score Scotland’s first points of the second half which made it Scotland (1-3) 6-23 (5-8) Ireland.
Ireland’s response was swift as PJ Scully spun past his marker on the Ireland left before hitting the ball between the posts to make it Scotland (1-3) 6-24 (5-9) Ireland.
Daniel Madej had to leave the field for treatment after being accidently hit in the face by a swinging hurl.
Calum Stewart then won possession before shooting wide on the Scotland right.
Philip Lucid scored the final point of the match when he turned and put the ball over the bar to make the final score Scotland (1-3) 6-25 (5-10) Ireland.
Ireland captain Gerry Keegan lifted the annual trophy and the players posed for team photographs and exchanged shirts.
Scotland U21 from:
1 Iain MacLeod – Skye Camanachd
2 Daniel Madej – Oban Celtic
3 Michael MacKenzie - Lovat
4 Blair Morrison - Caberfeidh
5 Gary McKerracher – Oban Camanachd
6 Cameron Keith – Kyles Athletic
7 Innes MacDonald – Kyles Athletic
8 Donald Nixon - Kinlochshiel
9 Craig Morrison - Caberfeidh
10 Jordan Murchison – Skye Camanachd
11 Craig Anderson – Glasgow Mid Argyll
12 Lewis MacNicol – Kyles Athletic
14 Calum Stewart - Newtonmore
15 Jordan Fraser - Kinlochshiel
16 Rory MacGregor - Kingussie
17 Ewan Campbell - Beauly
18 Oliver MacRae - Kinlochshiel
19 John MacNulty - Glenorchy
20 Jack MacDonald – Beauly
Head Coach – Garry Reid
Assistant Coaches – Allan MacRae, Alan McKechnie
Medics – Shockie MacLennan and Alan Knox
Scotland Scorers
John MacNulty - (1-0) 3
Gary McKerracher - (0-2) 2
Jack MacDonald - (0-1) 1
Ireland U21 from:
1 Paddy McKenna – Kildare
2 Ben Conroy – Laois
3 Rian Branagan – Down
4 Michael Breen – Tipperary
5 Keith Carmody – Kerry
6 James Doyle – Carlow
7 Michael Dudley – Antrim
8 Jack Fagan – Meath
9 Tommy Gallagher – Westmeath
10 Shane Gallen – Donegal
11 Austin Gleeson – Waterford
12 Martin Kavanagh – Carlow
13 Gerry Keegan – Kildare
14 Philip Lucid – Kerry
15 Colin Dunford - Waterford
16 N/A
17 PJ Scully – Laois
18 Colm Stapleton – Laois
19 Jack Regan – Meath
Head Coaches - William Maher and Conor Phelan
Ireland Scorers
Jack Fagen - (1-0) 3
Ben Conroy - (1-0) 3
Austin Gleeson - (0-5) 5
Colin Dunford – (0-1) 1
PJ Scully – (2-2) 8
Gerry Keegan - (0-1) 1
James Doyle – (1-0) 3
Philip Lucid – (0-1) 1
Match Referee - Sean Cleere
Goal Judges – John Angus Gillies, Willie MacDonald & Calum Girvan
(Picture courtesy of Neil G Paterson)