Scotland went down to a (1-16) 19-14 (2-8) defeat to Ireland at a wet and blustery Geraldine Park, Athy in the Shinty / Hurling international first test on Saturday 22 October 2011.
Following the respective national anthems, Ireland captain Michael Rice won the toss and he opted to play with the elements in the first half so the sides switched ends.
It also looked as if the longer grass would suit the hurlers as the heavy rain came down from the start.
Ireland started strongly with Westmeath’s Eoin Price looking dangerous but the Scots conjured up the first scoring opportunity when brothers Finlay MacRae and Keith MacRae from Kinlochshiel combined but Kilmallie’s John Stewart was unable to get a shot on target.
However the visitors opened the scoring when Fort William’s Gary Innes dribbled right to make space for himself before firing over to put the Scots in front after just 3 minutes.
However Ireland started to take control and Offaly’s Joe Bergin turned and shot over a minute later to level the game.
Scotland keeper Stuart MacKintosh from Glenurquhart was forced to put a lob from Tipperary’s Michael Price behind on 6 minutes and Price’s Tipperary team-mate Eoin Kelly converted from the 65 yard line to put Ireland 2-1 in front.
Ireland increased their lead a couple of minutes later when Joe Bergin got away from Glenurquhart’s John Barr and he was adjudged by referee Tony Carroll to have been brought down by Newtonmore’s Norman Campbell. Eoin Kelly put the ball over from around 20 yards from the resultant free-hit.
Carlow’s Eoin Nolan made it 4-1 a minute later when he dispossessed Scottish defender John Barr wide on the Irish left.
Eoin Price put the hosts 5-1 in front with just 10 minutes played.
Gary Innes dropped a dead ball from the left into the goal area on 12 minutes but the ball was cleared behind the post and Gary Innes saw his effort from the resultant 65 drop past the goal.
A Finlay MacRae effort was deflected past the post a minute later after good play from Caberfeidh’s Kevin Bartlett and Gary Innes saw his shot from the 65 yard line cleared by keeper paddy Mullaney from Laois.
Kevin Bartlett pulled a two-pointer back for the Scots on 19 minutes to make it 5-3 after the Cabers man had received a shove in the back.
However two Irish strikes in a minute extended their lead. First Eoin Kelly put the ball over after he was fouled by Norman Campbell.
Then Eoin Nolan made it 7-3 with his second point of the afternoon.
Gary Innes saw a two-point opportunity saved by keeper Paddy Mullaney on 24 minutes.
Kevin Bartlett put a two point chance past the post after John Stewart was fouled on the Scots left on 28 minutes.
Eoin Kelly added his fourth point of the first half to put Ireland 8-3 up on 33 minutes when he evaded a challenge from Norman Campbell.
Skye Camanachd’s Somhairle MacDonald was introduced to the play for his senior Scotland debut after 33 minutes.
Gary Innes opted to shoot at goal instead of going for two points a couple of minutes later but the ball was cleared past the post. Gary Innes put the resultant 65 ball into the danger area but again it was cleared. Norman Campbell then tried his luck from 65 yards but his ball into danger area was also cleared.
The first 40 minutes had come and gone and as referee Tony Carroll’s interval whistle blew, Scotland trailed by 5 points, and they were left to rue some missed two-point opportunities.
Ireland started the second half strongly and Willie Hyland made it 9-3 within a minute of the restart.
Worse was to follow for the visitors a minute later as Joe Bergin knocked a free-hit from Tipperary’s Brendan Maher from left midfield into the path of Eoin Nolan and he shot low into the net for the first goal of the game.
Irish keeper Paddy Mullaney caught a Gary Innes effort on 43 minutes before clearing the danger.
Ireland almost scored their second goal 5 minutes into the second half as Joe Bergin crossed from the left and Eoin Kelly put the ball just past the post.
Eoin Price shot over from the left to make it 13-3 on 46 minutes after good play from Irish captain Michael Rice and the Scots were struggling to stay in the game as they fell 10 points behind.
However Scotland showed their fighting spirit as Kevin Bartlett scored his second two-pointer of the game a minute later after Tony Carroll blew for an infringement as Bartlett had his arm held just 10 yards from goal.
A good passing move involving Somhairle Macdonald, Fort William’s John MacDonald, Keith MacRae and Finlay MacRae on 48 minutes created a chance for Gary Innes but his shot was saved by Paddy Mullaney.
Keith MacRae added another point on 50 minutes when he made space before shooting on his backhand to make it 13-6.
However Ireland retaliated and Eoin Price got in ahead of Fort William’s Niall MacPhee to fire a great shot over the bar.
Willie Hyland hit a ball from distance to put Ireland 15-6 to the good on 57 minutes.
Scotland scored their first goal of the afternoon on 58 minutes when Irish keeper Patrick Mullaney made a diving save from a John Stewart shot from the left but Keith MacRae lifted the rebound into the net for a special debut goal.
The game was now swinging from end to end a Joe Bergin shot over for another Irish point seconds later.
Gary Innes picked up a poor clearance 25 yards from goal and snatched a point to reduce Ireland's lead to 16-10 with an hour played.
Stuart MacKintosh saved from Eoin Kelly on 64 minutes before the impressive Tipp man scored his fifth point of the game.
Kyles Athletic’s Robbie MacLeod burst forward from midfield seconds later and he picked up another Scottish point.
John Stewart hit a first time effort just past the upright.
Stuart MacKintosh saved from Eoin Kelly before Joe Bergin made it 18-11 on 67 minutes.
John Stewart tried to play in Kevin Bartlett when he might have been better shooting for goal and the danger was cleared.
The visitors scored their second goal of the afternoon on 68 minutes when John Stewart battled for a Robbie MacLeod ball into the danger area and Gary Innes shot low into the net to reduce the deficit to 18-14.
Michael Rice soloed forward on 69 minutes but his shot went wide.
It was fitting that man of the match Eoin Kelly would have the final say as he scored the final point, his sixth of the afternoon, to give Ireland a 19-14 lead when he latched onto a loose ball.
Finlay MacRae went close for Scotland on 72 minutes after Niall MacPhee had won the ball in midfield.
As the heavy rain continued, John Stewart saw a shot chested down and cleared by Irish keeper Paddy Mullaney on 73 minutes.
A Joe Bergin effort went wide of the upright on 76 minutes.
Gary Innes had a two-point opportunity on 77 minutes but his ball fell to the back post where Keith MacRae was unable to get on the end of it.
So it is Ireland who have the advantage ahead of the second test but Scotland will be looking forward to facing their Celtic Cousins in front of a packed Bught Park next weekend.
Ireland (1-16) 19-14 (2-8) Scotland
Ireland points from;
Joe Bergin 0-3
Eoin Kelly 0-6
Eoin Nolan 1-2
Eoin Price 0-3
Willie Hyland 0-2
Scotland points from;
Gary Innes 1-2
Kevin Bartlett 0-4
Keith MacRae 1-1
Robbie MacLeod 0-1
Ireland panel from
1. Patrick Mullaney - Laois
2. Joe Bergin - Offaly
3. Kieran Divilly - Kildare
4. Cormac Donnelly - Antrim
5. John Doran - Kildare
6. Arron Graffin - Antrim
7. Willie Hyland - Laois
8. Eoin Kelly - Tipperary
9. David Kennedy - Kildare
10. Damian Maguire - Tyrone
11. Brendan Maher - Tipperary
12. Shane Morley - Mayo
13. Tom Murnane - Kerry
14. Brendan Murtagh - Westmeath
15. Eoin Nolan - Carlow
16. Andy O'Brien - Wicklow
17. Eoin Price - Westmeath
18. Michael Rice – Kilkenny (captain)
Scotland Squad from;
1. Stuart MacKintosh - Glenurquhart
2. Norman Campbell – Newtonmore (captain)
3. Donald Irvine – Kyles Athletic
4. John Barr - Glenurquhart
5. Robbie MacLeod – Kyles Athletic
6. Neil MacDonald - Lochaber
7. Finlay MacRae - Kinlochshiel
8. Niall MacPhee – Fort William
9.
10. Shaun Nicolson - Lochaber
11. Somhairle MacDonald – Skye Camanachd
12. Gary Innes – Fort William
13. Keith MacRae - Kinlochshiel
14. John MacDonald – Fort William
15. John Stewart - Kilmallie
16. Andrew Corrigan - Glenurquhart
17. Daniel Cameron – Oban Camanachd
18. Kevin Bartlett – Caberfeidh
Grant Irvine (injured), Roddy MacDonald (unavailable)
Match Referee – Tony Carroll