| |
Marine Harvest Shinty / Hurling International – Ireland v Scotland …………. 3 Days To Go! | |
23 October 2013 Scotland Head Coach Drew McNeil is set to meet some familiar faces following yesterday’s announcement of the Irish squad for the 2013 Marine Harvest Shinty / Hurling International series between Ireland and Scotland. The Irish, managed once again by Cork’s John Meyler and Michael Walshe from Kilkenny, have followed their usual format by including three players from the very top of the hurling world with the rest of the squad made up of players from the game’s first, second and third tiers. Cork’s Shane O’Neill, Richie Hogan from Kilkenny and Tipperary’s Brendan Maher are the star attractions in the 19 man squad. All three have previously played in this fixture but there are other inclusions who will be recognisable to Scotland Shinty / Hurling supporters. Antrim’s Neil McManus has plenty of experience of this fixture and he is set to captain Ireland. Down’s Gareth “Magic” Johnston will be a giant in the middle of the park and he lined up for the Irish in Inverness in 2009 and 2010. Keeper Bernard Rochford (Kerry) played last year as did Patrick Maher (Tipperary), Neil McManus (Antrim), Darragh O’Connell (Kerry), Eoin Reilly (Laois), Shane O’Neill (Cork) and Eoin Price (Westmeath). Scotland Head Coach Drew McNeil said, “It doesn’t really matter which hurlers the Irish select, they are always going to have a strong squad. It is interesting to note that three of the Irish players Richie Hogan, Patrick Maher and Neil McManus are just back from the US where they played in the GAA / GPA Celtic Champions Classic 11-a-side hurling match between Munster and Leister with only goals scored counting in that game. That will be good practice for them ahead of the games against us. However we have had a look at their squad and we already have our ideas on how we will play against them.” This match will be a curtain raiser to the second Irish Daily Mail International Rules test between Ireland and Australia which gets underway at 7pm. The Irish panel for the first test is as follows: 1. Bernard Rochford (Kerry) Series Details Scotland and Ireland meet in the first Marine Harvest Shinty / Hurling test at Croke Park on Saturday 26 October 2013. Throw-in is at 4.15pm and the match will be televised live by Irish channel TG4 (available over the internet) and broadcast later by BBC Alba. The second test between Scotland and Ireland takes place a week after on Saturday 2 November 2013 at the Bught Park, Inverness. Throw-in is at 2pm and the match will be televised live by BBC2 Scotland and TG4. The second test will be preceded by the Shinty / Camogie meeting between Scotland and Dublin and the U21 Shinty / Hurling meeting between the two countries. Picture courtesy of www.neilgpaterson.com |