Mowi Shinty-Hurling International

Scotland (2-4) 10-12 (3-3) Ireland

It was an historic occasion as Scotland and Ireland lined up at the Bught Park for the first Mowi shinty-hurling international on Scottish soil since 2018.

In excess of 2,000 supporters gathered, and those packed into the newly refurbished Bught Park Stand included Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney.

New Scotland manager Alan MacRae named a much-changed squad, and his seven new caps were Innes Blackhall, Calum Shepherd, Archie MacRae, Ryan Harrison, William MacKinnon, Rory McGregor and Calum Grant.

Ireland co-managers Terence ‘Sambo’ McNaughton and Michael Kavanagh, in their third and final year in charge, named a strong squad in their bid to extend their two-game winning run. Limerick’s Dan Morrissey, a five-time All-Ireland winner, captained the side and was joined by county teammate Shane O’Brien. There were also places for Tipperary trio Eoghan Connolly, Darragh McCarthy and Alan Tynan, Galway’s Cianan Fahy and Kilkenny’s Eoin Murphy who is one of hurling’s top goalkeepers. The late addition of Clare’s Ryan Taylor increased the top-tier complement to eight hurlers.

This contest went full pelt from the start with the Scots using a fast and physical approach coupled with some quick passing moves which unsettled their opponents as the hosts amass a 7-0 lead.

Scotland found the net after just 3 minutes when Iain Robinson won possession ahead of Dan Morrissey and sent Lachie Shaw racing towards the goal. Keeper Eoin Murphy ran from his line to challenge, but the ball broke to the Scotland right where Ruaridh Anderson stroked the it into the net. Iain Robinson and Lachie Shaw spurned goal attempts, Donald Nixon went close with a dead ball from the left whilst Blair Morrison saw a free from the right charged down before Alexander Michie added a point. The closest Ireland went during the early exchanges was a solo run from Alan Tynan, but Scotland keeper Rory McGregor was quickly off his line to clear the danger.

Scotland’s pressure paid off as a second goal from Ruaridh Anderson made it 7-0 on 20 minutes. Donald Nixon won the ball in a crowded midfield, picking out Iain Robinson who got in ahead of Dan Morrissey again. He found Lachie Shaw who spread play to Ruaridh Anderson on the left and he allowed the ball to run across his body before firing low across the keeper into the far corner of the net.

The Irish were up against it but their response was clinical as, straight from the restart, Shane O’Brien lobbed a high ball in from the right and James Doyle got in ahead of his marker and although his strike was well-saved by the impressive Rory McGregor in the Scotland goal, the ball came back out to Cha Dwyer and his shot on the turn gave the keeper no chance.

Ireland scored again on 39 minutes. James Doyle took the ball from Cha Dwyer and raced down the left flank, before finishing well into the bottom corner to make it 7-6.

The comeback was complete when Eoghan Connolly’s point, made it 7-7 at the break.

Ireland had the wind in their favour in the second half, but it was the Scots who regained the lead through another Aleander Michie point. However, Shane O’Brien and Eoghan Connolly bagged a point each to have The Irish ahead for the first time in the game.

Ireland extended their lead when Cha Dwyer leapt brilliantly to touch Ben Conroy’s dropping ball from the left into the net from close range to score his second, and Ireland now led 12-8.

Scotland, cheered on by the home support, managed to pull it back to 12-10 through points from Daniel MacVicar and Donald Nixon but despite a late goalmouth scramble, they couldn’t find the goal that would win the game.

Scotland manager Alan MacRae was delighted with his troops and, speaking straight after the final whistle, he said: “I’m so pleased with all the players. We gave the players a plan and they carried it out. We set out to be very physical and quick from the start and it worked. We selected the starting side with this in mind and that’s why excellent man-markers like Daniel Sloss, Duncan Matheson and Calum Grant were left on the bench. They always had a role to play, coming on to do their jobs and the sheer energy required for this fixture means you can’t just field the same team throughout.

“I’m just gutted with the outcome as we were so close to winning that. It was there for us, but we just couldn’t get it over the line.

“I hope everyone thought it was a good spectacle, that was always important to me no matter the outcome. I wanted it to be a good battle, that was always the main thing.

“It was a good, strong performance, and we got a lot of things right and it’s just a pity we have to wait another year to play this fixture again.”

Scotland skipper Blair Morrison added: “We ran a very good Irish side close, and you could tell we were well-prepared. We definitely had chances to win it, but I suppose Ireland passed up some opportunities too, it’s just that ours have come back to haunt us more.

“The boys put in a power of work to keep up with the Irish throughout the game and we were very unfortunate on a couple of occasions and on another day, it could’ve been different for us.

“As captain, it’s obviously gutting not to get the result, but I can’t fault the boys for their efforts both today and at our training sessions.”

Ireland’s two-goal hero Cha Dwyer added: “I was lucky enough to play shinty-hurling in 2016, so I knew what to expect but I think the levels have risen since then. It’s more physical and more competitive from start to finish. You could tell the Scots had done their homework on us. Shinty is a more positional sport than hurling but they stuck to us from the start, and we didn’t get much space to solo or anything else.”

Scotland from: Rory McGregor (Kingussie): Rory Kennedy (Newtonmore), Ryan Harrison (Skye Camanachd): Craig Mainland (Lovat), Alexander Michie (Kingussie), John Gillies (Skye Camanachd): Donald Nixon (Kinlochshiel), Daniel MacVicar (Oban Camanachd), Danny Kelly (Lovat): Blair Morrison (Caberfeidh – captain), Ruaridh Anderson (Kingussie), Innes Blackhall (Kingussie): Lachie Shaw Fort William), Iain Robinson (Newtonmore): subs: Calum Grant (Kingussie), William MacKinnon (Skye Camanachd), Duncan Matheson (Kinlochshiel), Daniel Sloss (Newtonmore), Archie MacRae (Kinlochshiel), Calum Shepherd (Fort William)

Ireland from: Eoin Murphy (Kilkenny): Dan Morrissey (Limerick), Paddy Burke (Antrim): Gerard Walsh (Antrim), Cianan Fahy (Galway), Eoghan Connolly (Tipperary): David Dooley (Laois), Ryan Taylor (Clare), James Doyle (Carlow): Cha Dwyer (Laois), Martin Kavanagh (Wicklow), Alan Tynan (Tipperary): Shane O’Brien (Limerick), Darragh McCarthy (Tipperary): subs: Padraig Delaney (Laois), Ben Conroy (Laois), Andrew Kavanagh (Wicklow), Kevin McDonald (Carlow), Nicholas Potterton (Meath), Donal Hughes, (Down) Mark Cunningham (Westmeath)

Match Referee – Willie MacDonald