The Marine Harvest Shinty / Hurling / Camogie main event saw Scotland power to a 24-14 win over Ireland to lift the Marine Harvest Quaich at the Bught Park on Saturday 24 October 2015.
Scotland (3-15) 24-14 (2-8) Ireland
The Scots delivered a devastating first half performance to sweep aside a subdued Irish squad in front of a noisy 1,500 home support. Scotland boss Ronald Ross gave Fraser Heath a debut at full forward. The dead-ball duties fell to Scotland’s Kevin Bartlett and Ireland’s Zane Keenan and the pair traded two-pointers to leave the contest tied at 4-4. Indeed the fact Keenan was comfortable striking a free directly over the bar for two points rather than the conventional flick and a volley for a point was a bonus for the Irish. When a Roddy MacDonald shot was deflected wide, Steven MacDonald sent the resultant 65 between the posts to put Scotland in front for the third time in the match to make it 6-4. This time there was to be no Irish leveller. Scotland were in front and they would stay that way for the rest of the game. Glen MacKintosh grabbed the game’s first goal when he smashed the ball into the net following some great wing play from Kevin Bartlett down the Scotland right. Liam MacDonald replaced Shaun Nicolson for the Scots and seconds later MacDonald made an immediate impact as he blasted home a cross from the right to make it 12-4. Kevin Bartlett added two more points before a Steven MacDonald free in front of the Bught Park main stand caused problems in the Irish defence and Fraser Heath thumped the ball home to make it 17-4. Ireland had no answer and Kevin Bartlett added two more two-pointers to make it 21-4. There was just enough time for Liam MacDonald to fire the ball over the bar to make it 22-4 as referee Evan MacRae’s half time whistle sounded to bring to an end a first half performance which must have exceeded even the wildest expectations of the Scotland management team. Ireland, who are slow starters in these games, played with the wind advantage in the second half and their pride was always going to spur them on and they attacked from the restart. Scotland lost forward Roddy MacDonald through injury and defender Steven MacDonald was twice in the wars, suffering blows to the chest and then the leg but he battled on. Shane Nolan scored a scrappy goal for Ireland to make it 22-7. Kevin Bartlett and Zane Keenan twice traded two-pointers to make it 24-11 as Ireland began to make a fist of it again. The second period was tousy at times but the Scots went toe-to-toe when necessary and this was typified by forward Glen MacKintosh who was in no mood to be intimidated by the visiting defence. Shane Nolan bundled the ball home for his second goal of the afternoon to make it 24-14. Scotland goalie Stuart MacDonald dived to his left as a Derek McNicholas shot went just past the post and a free from Zane Keenan to his right gave Patrick Maher a goal attempt but Finlay MacRae did superbly well as he flew into the tackle to clear the danger. The final whistle was greeted with Scottish celebration and no one was more pleased than newly crowned Scotland captain John Barr who lifted the Marine Harvest Quaich.
Scotland U21 (1-3) 6-25 (5-10) Scotland U21
Scotland U21s went down 25-6 to their Irish counter-parts on the Bught Park main pitch earlier in the day. Ireland started as if they meant business and Jack Fagan grabbed a goal in the opening minute when he collected possession on the Ireland right and his shot spun over keeper Iain MacLeod into the net to make it 3-0. A solo run and sweet finish from Ben Conroy on 8 minutes made it 6-0 before Austin Gleeson was credited with a point when his ball from the right seemed to go wide to make it 7-0. Colin Dunford put the ball over to make it 8-0 before Jack MacDonald swept the ball between the posts to register Scotland’s first score. Scotland got a foothold back in the match when Jordan Murchison laid the ball to John McNulty who scored to make it 8-4. However Ireland extinguished any hopes of a fight-back when PJ Scully soloed in from the left before bulleting the ball home to make it 11-4. Scotland threatened again with Ireland keeper Paddy McKenna saving from Jordan Murchison and Calum Stewart before PJ Scully 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 14-4. An Austin Gleeson free from the ground extended Ireland’s lead to 16-4 at the break. Scotland goalie Iain MacLeod twice saved well again either side of another Austin Gleeson two-pointer to make it 18-4. Jordan Murchison twice went close for Scotland before a Jack MacDonald free was blocked by Austin Gleeson after Jordan Fraser was fouled. Ireland captain Gerry Keegan made a superb run down the left before putting the ball over the bar to make it 19-4. Ireland’s Keith Carmody cleared the ball off the line as Calum Stewart threatened before Scot’s keeper Iain MacLeod made a superb point-blank save from a Marin Kavanagh shot. However when Ireland’s James Doyle turned his marker and ran in to score from close range, Ireland went 22-4 in front. 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 23-4. Scotland boss Garry Reid had pushed captain Daniel Madej into attack and when 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, the keeper stretched to his left to tip the ball away. Gary McKerracher converted the resultant free to make it 23-6. 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 24-6. Daniel Madej had to leave the field for treatment after being accidently hit in the face by a hurley. Calum Stewart then won possession before shooting wide from the Scotland right. Philip Lucid scored the final point of the match as he made it 25-6 before captain Gerry Keegan lifted the annual trophy.
Scotland Ladies (5-4) 19-1 (0-1) Kildare Ladies Select
The Scotland Ladies were convincing 19-1 winners over the Kildare Ladies Select as they opened the day’s Shinty / Hurling / Camogie action on the Bught Park outside pitch. Kildare travelled without a number of players from the squad which finished All-Ireland Intermediate runners-up this year and the make-shift side was blown-away by the Scots thanks to an early four-goal blitz. Kirsty Delaney shot low into the net to give her side the lead and a second Delaney goal and a Laura Gallacher double had Scotland 12-0 to the good. Niamh Donnelly made no mistake when she was entrusted with a free in front of the posts to make it 14-0. Melissa Lyons lifted a free and sent the ball over the bar to pull a point back to make it 16-1 but Scotland already had an unassailable lead as referee Martin MacLean’s half-time whistle sounded. Laura Gallacher went on to complete her hat-trick with a shot from the left and Jeanette MacGregor added two more second half points to seal a 19-1 win. Scotland captain Laura McCafferty lifted the winners’ trophy for the third year in a row.
(Full match reports to follow)
(Picture courtesy of Neil G Paterson)