SCOTS Camanachd lost out to the Irish Defence Force in “Iomain Nam Feachd - Armed Forces Shinty / Hurling” at the Bught Park, Inverness on Saturday 28 April 2012.
The Scots eventually went down 24-4 against a strong Irish side and Head Coach Fraser MacKenzie said, “The game went well enough but there was a gulf of difference in terms of experience. However our lads led the game after the first 15 minutes though two frees from Oban Camanachd’s Chris Munro and James Dunn from Bute. The Irish came right into the game 10 minutes before half time and they got themselves in front despite some good goalkeeping from Ian Munro from Skye Camanachd.”
The SCOTS trailed 12-4 at half time and MacKenzie acknowledged that his side had a tough time in the second half. “The wind picked up in the second half,” said MacKenzie. “That had a telling effect on the game but the Irish were much stronger than us in the second half and deserved their win.”
Skye Camanachd medic Dr Wilson Banks was on duty on the touchline and MacKenzie said that he had a busy afternoon. “It was a physical encounter with Lochcarron’s Michael Copper and Euan Graham needing hospital treatment for stitches as did one of the Irish lads who broke his collar bone.”
MacKenzie picked out Andrew Fraser from Strathglass, James Dunn from Bute, Chris Munro from Oban Camanachd and Skye Camanachd’s Ian Munro as having played very well for the Scots as did Caberfeidh’s Arran Devine.
MacKenzie has high hopes for this fixture in the future. “It was good to get the first game played and get a commitment to the fixture going forward. Robert Stoddart did a power of work to make the fixture happen and it looks like something can be done to make it a future fixture as well.”