Scotland University Men Secure Ulster Triumph | |
28 January 2014 The Scottish University men’s team were 37-7 winners against Ulster University in their Shinty / Hurling meeting at the Ulster University campus, Jordanstown, on Saturday 25 January 2014. Scotland Head Coach George Hay was assisted on the trip by Newtonmore’s Paul MacArthur and their squad included Scotland U21 internationals Finlay MacMillan from Glasgow Mid Argyll, Newtonmore’s Michael Russell and keeper Robert Dunnings from Oban Camanachd. There were also places for Kingussie pair Louis Munro and Hamish Anderson and Cameron Keith from Kyles Athletic. The historic decision to take both the men’s and women’s squads to Ireland for the first time in the ten year series was made by George Hay and Women’s coach Fiona Mathie. They wanted to build on the successful Shinty / Hurling series of games between the Scottish University shinty teams and their British University Hurling opposition. The Scots faced and Ulster University squad which included players of both county and senior club standard. The match was played in difficult weather conditions and both sides had to contend with the bitter cold and the rain. The Scot’s tactics of short passing movements, combined with a four man midfield of Innes Macmillan, Louis Munro, Ross Balharry and Conal Mulholland, gave them the platform to break into the Irish defence and finish off fine lead-up play by scoring some spectacular goals. Kingussie’s Hamish Anderson from Edinburgh Napier started the scoring after just 20 seconds following a move involving three Scots players. The Scots’ midfield was dominant throughout the game, breaking up the Irish attacks and closing down their attempts over the bar, whilst the Scots’ defence was resolute in their tackling and man marking. The Scots, captained by Lochcarron’s Finlay Stark from the University of Strathclyde, continued to add to their tally with Ulster limited to rare scoring opportunities. Lochaber’s Conor Sweeney from Heriot-Watt University was the visitors’ top scorer with eleven points whilst Finlay Stark was just a point behind with ten points. The match was played in fine spirit with the Ulster team battling to the end and the final score was Scotland University (8-13) 37-7 (2-1) Ulster University. It seems likely that there will be a return match in Scotland in 2015 and the victorious Scotland squad returned home on Sunday 26 January 2014. Scotland scorers: Hamish Anderson – (1-0) Conor Sweeney (3-2) Finlay Stark – (1-7) Nick Lavin – (1-0) Louis Munro – (2-0) Ross Balharry – (0-2) Mark Fraser – (0-1) Conal Mulholland – (0-1) Scotland University Men’s Squad: Adam McMaster - University of Edinburgh Brendan McLoone - University of Glasgow Cameron Keith - Caledonian University Conal Mulholland - University of Glasgow Conor Sweeney - Heriot-Watt University Guy Berg - University of Edinburgh Mark Fraser - University of Aberdeen Finlay McMillan - University of Strathclyde (captain) Finlay Stark - University of Edinburgh Frank Ryan - Robert Gordon University Andrew Grace - University of Glasgow Hamish Anderson - Edinburgh Napier Innes MacMillan - University of Glasgow Jamie Cruickshank - Aberdeen University Louis Munro - University of Strathclyde Michael Russell - Heriot Watt University Robert Dunnings - University of Glasgow Ross Balharry - Heriot Watt University Ryan Harrison - University of Strathclyde Nick Lavin - City of Glasgow College |