Scots Have It All To Do After Marine Harvest Shinty / Hurling International First Test
Two late, late goals gave Scotland hope after they were beaten 25-19 in the Marine Harvest Shinty / Hurling international first test at the Bught Park, Inverness on Saturday 20 October 2012.
A crowd of almost 2,000 gathered at the Bught Park as the Scots looked to win back the Marine Harvest Quaich which the Irish have held since 2009.
Scotland boss Drew McNeil sprung a surprise by starting Scotland and Newtonmore captain Norman Campbell in the middle of the park whilst Kilmallie’s John Stewart, who was called into the squad as a late replacement for Kyles Athletic’s Roddy MacDonald, led the attack. There was also a starting place on the left of midfield for Newtonmore’s Steven MacDonald who made his senior international debut.
Ireland co-managers Michael Walsh and John Meyler named an experienced line-up and they looked to top-tier players Tommy Walsh from Kilkenny, Shane Dooley from Offaly, Cork’s Patrick Horgan and Tipperary’s Patrick “Bonner” Maher for inspiration.
The sides exchanges scores in the opening minutes with Patrick Horgan shooting over for the opening point after Steven MacDonald was penalised but a dead-ball between the posts from distance by Caberfeidh’s Kevin Bartlett put the Scots (0-2) 2-1 (0-1) ahead.
With five points now on offer for each goal, as opposed to three previously, both sides were keen to find the back of the net and it was the Irish who took advantage on 4 minutes when Patrick Horgan got on the end of a long ball and burst down the right wing before flicking the ball up and batting it down past home keeper Stuart MacKintosh from Glenurquhart for the opening goal which made it (0-2) 2-6 (1-1).
Patrick Horgan added to his tally when he collected a delightful pass from Patrick Maher with back to goal and he made just a yard of space to turn and hit the ball over the bar to make it (0-2) 2-7 (1-2).
Ireland keeper Bernard Rochford from Kerry flew to his right to make a fine diving save to deny Kilmallie’s John Stewart as Scotland looked to cut the deficit.
Rochford came off his line to save from Kinlochshiel’s Keith McRae moments later and Steven MacDonald put the resultant 65 wide of the post.
Horgan added another point to make it (0-2) 2-8 (0-1) after Oban Camanachd’s Daniel Cameron was penalised for a kick
Scotland were unfortunate on 12 minutes when Norman Campbell put a dead ball from the middle of the park just inside the post but it was missed by the officials and the home side were denied two points.
Patrick Horgan added an almost replica second goal for the Irish after 17 minutes as the visitors took a grip of the game. Antrim’s Barry McFall won the ball in midfield and found Brendan Murtagh from Westmeath, who has 4 international caps, and he played it on to Patrick Horgan who got away from his man and soloed before beating Stuart MacKintosh at his near post to increase Ireland’s advantage to (0-2) 2-13 (2-3) and they already had a bonus point for the second goal scored.
Scotland boss Drew McNeil recognised Horgan’s threat down the Scots’ right and he replaced Kyles Athletic’s Donald Irvine with Kinlochshiel’s Mark MacDonald in a bid to counter the Irishman’s skills.
Scotland fought back and Caberfeidh’s Kevin Bartlett put a free between the posts after Lochaber’s Shaun Nicolson was fouled and this reduced the deficit to (0-4) 4-13 (2-3).
Patrick Horgan showed that he is human by putting a goal deal ball opportunity wide of target on 23 minutes.
Steven MacDonald launched a massive two-pointer between the posts a couple of minutes later to make it (0-6) 6-13 (2-3).
Patrick Horgan broke left to put another effort between the posts a minute later to make it (0-6) 6-14 (2-4).
Norman Campbell put a long free from the right past the right post on 27 minutes and Steven MacDonald was unsuccessful from a similar distance on the other side of the park seconds later.
Super play in mid from Irish captain Eoin Price found Patrick Horgan but he was fouled by Mark MacDonald and Horgan put the dead ball between the posts to make it (0-6) 6-15 (2-5).
Kevin Bartlett put a dead-ball opportunity wide on the half hour as the missed chances began to rack up for Scotland.
Shane Dooley added another Irish point on 34 minutes when Steven MacDonald seemed unlucky to be penalised for a challenge on Patrick Horgan by the right touchline
Kevin Bartlett and Shaun Nicolson combined down the Scots’ left to set up a chance for Glenurquhart’s David Stuart, who was on as a substitute, but Smart put the ball wide with just a couple of minutes remaining until the interval.
As the first 40 minutes closed, Patrick Horgan was the difference. He scored all his side’s points bar one as Ireland led (2-6) 16-6 (0-6) at the break. If fact Horgan goals were all the separated the teams but the home side were left to rue some missed opportunities to add to their tally.
Scotland boss Drew McNeil made a significant change at the interval with Norman Campbell pulled back into the heart of the Scotland defence.
Kevin Bartlett should have done better from an early two-point chance after John Stewart had been fouled but he put the ball wide.
A spectacular effort from Shane Dooley whistled just past the post after a good run from Patrick Maher.
Shane Dooley was not having the same impact as in 2010 and he missed a great chance from right in front of goal on 46 minutes after another run and cross on the right wing from Patrick Maher.
Kinlochshiel’s Keith MacRae went agonisingly close to reducing the deficit when collected a Shaun Nicolson cross and shot wide with the Scots first real chance of the second half with 49 minutes played.
Another foul on John Stewart on 51 minutes allowed Kevin Bartlett to add another couple of points for Scotland which made it (0-8) 8-16 (2-6) with the first score of the second period.
Patrick Maher made a good run but tugged his shot wide on 56 minutes
A minute later, John Stewart slipped the ball in to Shaun Nicolson but keeper Rochford came off his line to clear Finlay MacRae retrieved the ball and cut it back to John Stewart but he shot wide.
Finlay MacRae missed the target on 58 minutes as the Scots first half trend of being wasteful in front of goal continued.
A trip on Patrick Maher gave Patrick Horgan the chance to score Ireland’s first point of the second half and this made it (0-8) 8-17 (2-7) with almost an hour played.
John Stewart created a great opening for Shaun Nicolson when he found him at the edge of the D with a cross from the right and keeper Rochford came off his line and got the slightest touch to deflect the ball past the post. Steven MacDonald put the resultant 65 wide of target.
Barry McFall took a sore one when he failed to block as Fort William’s Niall MacPhee swung but he continued after treatment.
Keeper Rochford made a flying save to his right to deny Keith MacRae but Ireland were unable to clear their lines and the ball broke to Niall MacPhee who put it between the posts to make it (0-8) 9-17 (2-7) on 64 minutes).
A lovely drive from Horgan made it (0-8) 9-18 (2-8) a minute later.
Glenurquhart keeper Stuart MacKintosh had not had much to do in the second half but he did well to save a deflected drive from Patrick Horgan with his hand on 68 minutes.
Neil McManus sent a massive hit between the posts on 73 minutes and seconds later, Patrick Horgan added another to make it (0-9) 9-20 (2-10).
There was worse to come for Scotland on 75 minutes when Patrick Horgan collected a pass from Louth’s Shane Fennell and showed a great piece of skill to get past Mark MacDonald before soloing down the Irish left wing. He then cut inside to blast the ball past Scotland reserve keeper Stuart MacDonald from Lovat to score the goal of the game and complete his hat-trick. This increased the visitors lead to (3-10) 25-9 (0-9) and the Scots looked well beaten.
Ireland had only scored one point in the opening 31 minutes of the half, but they had added a further twelve points in the next devastating 3 minutes of the game.
Shane Dooley pulled an effort wide on 78 minutes as the Irish threatened to run away with the game.
However, with the clock running down, the Scots rallied, and Steven MacDonald crossed into the middle to Norman Campbell, who had been pushed forward in a bid to salvage something from the game. The ball broke to Finlay MacRae and his shot was deflected into the path of Kevin Bartlett who held off Tommy Walsh before firing the ball high into the net to make it (1-9) 14-25 (3-10).
With the full 80 minutes played, the Scots knew they needed one more goal to snatch a bonus point. They were roared on by the home support and they got a chance when referee Billy Wotherspoon awarded them a free-hit in the middle of the park, near the right touchline. Lochaber’s Neil MacDonald launched a massive dead-ball hit into the heart of the Ireland defence and keeper Bernard Rochford was unable to reach the ball as it dropped into the roof of the net to make it (2-9) 19-25 (3-10).
Referee Billy Wotherspoon, who didn’t have to produce a single card throughout the game, blew his final whistle seconds later with Shaun Dooley boring in on the Scots’ goal.
The relevance of MacDonald’s goal was that it got Scotland a point in the series scoring system. Ireland earned two points for winning the game and they earned a bonus point for scoring at least two goals. However the late strikes from Bartlett and MacDonald meant Scotland earned a point for scoring at least two goals so Ireland take a 3-1 lead into the second series.
It was fitting that Kevin Bartlett and Neil MacDonald scored Scotland’s goals as the Marine Harvest North Division 1 duo were the home sides best performers on the day.
The Scottish defence looked stronger with the inclusion of Norman Campbell and Mark MacDonald and they will surely start there in the second leg. Niall MacPhee also gave his chances of a second leg start a boost whilst John Stewart justified his manager’s decision to start him in attack.
There's little doubt that Patrick Horgan was man of the match, eventually amassing all but two of the Irish points, and Scotland must tame him in the second leg. Patrick Maher and keeper Bernard Rochford were also top performers whilst Tommy Walsh was in the thick of the action throughout.
So Ireland take a 3-1 lead into the second series. There were times that it looked as if they were playing within themselves. However Scotland can take encouragement from the fact that had it not been for missed opportunities from both dead ball and open play, they could have narrowed the gap or even won the game. They can also point to the fact that they have performed better away from home in recent years so the final destination of the Marine Harvest Quaich is far from settled.
Scotland from; Stewart MacKintosh, John Barr, Donald Irvine, Calum Cruden, Daniel Cameron, Neil MacDonald, Norman Campbell (captain), Finlay MacRae, Steven MacDonald, Keith MacRae, Louis Munro, Shaun Nicholson, Kevin Bartlett, John Stewart, subs Niall MacPhee, Mark MacDonald, David Smart, Drew Howie, Stewart MacDonald.
Head Coach – Drew McNeil
Assistant Head Coaches – Kenny Ross, George Hay, Scott McNeil
Ireland from; Bernard Rochford, Des Shaw, Cormac Donnelly, Tommy Walsh, Neil McManus, Tom Murnane, Eoin Price (captain), Barry McFall, Joseph Clarke, Brendan Murtagh, Patrick Maher, Darragh O'Connell, Patrick Horgan, Shane Dooley, subs Ciaran Clifford, Steven Clynch, Shane Fennell, Paudi Reidy
Co-managers – Tommy Walsh, John Meyler
Match Referee – Billy Wotherspoon
Goal Judges – Robert Morrison, John Matheson, Billy MacLeod