Mowi Scotland Shinty Captain Announced

The Camanachd Association is delighted to announce that Robert Mabon (Kingussie) will Captain the Scotland Squad for the Mowi Shinty Hurling International which is set to take place on Saturday at Cusack Park, Ennis from 3:30pm.

The Mowi Shinty/Hurling International match has been a long-standing tradition, bringing together top talents from both Scotland and Ireland in a thrilling showcase of shinty and hurling skills. After an unavoidable hiatus, due to COVID-19, the forthcoming match will mark a momentous occasion for players and fans alike, reigniting the spirit of friendly competition and sporting excellence.

2023 Mowi Player of the Year, Rober Mabon, 27, has won all there is to win at senior shinty level including the Camanachd Cup, MacTavish Cup, Macaulay Cup and 4 consecutive league titles, he made his senior Scotland debut in 2019.

Robert was presented with the Captain’s Kilt Pin at Kingussie’s clubhouse last night by the Association in memory of Donald Campbell. The kilt pin which was given to the Association for this presentation by Donald’s son Michael is greatly appreciated by both the Association and indeed Robert.

A full transcript interview with Scotland Captain Robert Mabon is available below:

Robert, run me through your thoughts on being selected as Captain.

It’s a huge honour, certainly one I wasn’t expecting, but it’s not something you say no to. It’s great to be asked, and a great thing to be involved with all together.

What are your expectations going into this year’s Mowi Shinty Hurling International?

I think compared to previous years they’ve taken it a lot more seriously. They’ve taken seven top players. I don’t really know much about the hurling side of it, but that’s what I’ve heard from the other boys, and Garry. So, I think from that perspective it’ll be really competitive, so we’ll have to take it as it comes.

How will you adapt your game to the composite rules?

I think for me, as a defender, the main thing is that they don’t really go for goals as much – they want to keep the points ticking over. So, you’ve got to be really tight to them, because if you give them space, they’ll pop it over the bar. I think last year that’s what lost it for us. They never really scored, but they just kept the scoreboard ticking. So, for me that’s the main thing, you’ve just got to get tight to your man.

How can the Mowi Shinty/Hurling international help promote the sport at grassroots level?

I think it does help. I remember being younger and going to watch them, even the U21s and U17s, then the U14s North v South. It’s part of what you want to be as a player – you want to get to that level, then the next level, then the next level. To play at every level, it feeds back to what you see as a youngster, and it’s what you strive to become.

Defeat last year in Ireland, how will you learn lessons from last year and take them into this year’s international?

For myself, I’ve touched on this on the defending side of things. I think the forward line have to really get the ball down on the ground and start playing shinty with it, and get it off them as soon as possible, and just take our chances with getting points over the bar. I think that was our weak point last year, but it all really depends on the day.

On a personal level, very successful season for yourself at club level at Kingussie. How will you carry this on into the international?

Yeah, very successful season. To be honest, it’s a completely different thing, but we’ve got Ruaraidh (Anderson) and Alexander (Michie), who were part of that as well, so they’ll bring some quality into it too. And then every other player there as well, they’re the top players for their clubs, so they should be doing the same. They’re the top players in their positions, so they’ll be taking quality into the squad as well.

 

Scotland Manager Gary Reid selected the following 20-man squad, after a number of trial and training sessions, to face off against Ireland on the 26th:

Scotland Squad:

Alexander Michie                       Kingussie              Reid Plant Hire

Andrew Macdonald                Oban Camanachd Neil MacDonald Joinery

Ben Delaney                             Lochaber               AMP Clean Energy

Blair Morrison                         Caberfeidh          Francis & Margaret Blair

Cameron Sutherland                 Oban Camanachd  CP Architects

Conor Cormack                       Kinlochshiel        DA MacRae Stonemasonary

Craig Mainland                          Lovat                     JIG Groundworks

Craig Morrison                        Caberfeidh          David Morrison Ames Taper

Daniel MacVicar                        Oban Camanachd  Kenneth Ferguson Electrical Contractor

Danny Kelly                            Lovat                   RI Cruden

Donald Nixon                            Kinlochshiel           MC Builders

Finlay MacRae                        Kinlochshiel        MacRae Kintail Buses

John Gillies                               Skye                     ANM Electrical

Kevin Bartlett                         Caberfeidh          L.T. Nicol Haulage

Lachie Shaw                              Fort William           Sunny’s Sports Bar

Robert Mabon                         Kingussie            Thain Electrical

Roddy Macdonald                      Kyles Athletic         Shearwater Marine Services

Ruaridh Anderson                  Kingussie             Aviemore Laundry & Dry Cleaning

Steven Macdonald                     Newtonmore          Toncam Flooring & Interiors

Stuart MacDonald                  Lovat                    Fostec Engineering

 

Ireland Squad:

Enda Rowland, Abbeyleix – Laois

Luca McCusker, Lisbellaw St. Patrick’s – Fermanagh

Eoghan Cahill, Birr – Offaly

Caolan Taggart, Portaferry – Down

Eoin Cody, Ballyhale Shamrocks – Kilkenny

Ben Conneely, St Rynagh’s – Offaly

Cian Darcy, Kilruane MacDonagh’s – Longford

Cianan Fahy, Ardrahan – Galway

Martin Keoghan, Tullaroan – Kilkenny

Tomás Keyes, Camross – Laois

Dan Morrissey, Ahane – Limerick

Tom Morrissey, Ahane – Limerick

Killian Sampson, Shinrone – Offaly

Jason Sampson, Shinrone – Offaly

Daithí Sands, Portaferry – Down

James Toher, Trim – Meath

Gerard Walsh, O’Donovan Rossa – Antrim

Aidan McCarthy, Inagh-Kilnamona – Clare

Shane Meehan, Banner – Clare