THE centenary international between Scotland and Ireland ended with Irish celebrations (above) after an extra-time victory secured their fourth consecutive victory in the series.
First held in 1924, the Hurling-Shinty composite rules match has added a healthy competitive edge to the cultural exchange enabled by the fixture.
Not only does it give players the chance to represent their country, but it brings to life the ancient links through the ‘small ball,’ and the two squads grabbed their opportunities and delivered the crowd one of the tightest encounters between the two countries.
Hosted in Ennis, County Clare, the centenary match swung this way and that. First Scotland surged into a strong lead, setting the pace with an 8-1 advantage, before the Irish response cut the advantage slightly to send the teams in 10-7 at the break.
The visitors flew back ahead in the second period, with Scotland extending that lead to 15-9, but it was now that Ireland sparked to life—turning the scores around and flying into a 17-15 lead in short order.
Drama peaked in the closing stages when Fort William’s Lachie Shaw, the only player from outside Shinty’s Premiership, seemed to have won it for the visitors with a goal that put them 18-17 ahead. Ireland were not to be defeated on home soil, though, and forced extra-time with a last-gasp point, setting the stage for a decisive period that saw them pull away to secure victory.
Ireland dominated extra-time, building a commanding 24-18 lead. Despite late scores bringing Scotland back within touching distance, the Irish held firm to secure their fourth straight win in this unique cross-code contest.
Speaking after the match Terence McNaughton, Ireland’s manager who had waxed lyrical in the build up about how the training had brought back some lost hurling skills—and who himself had played shinty for a spell in London—praised the international and looked ahead to the next year’s edition when Ireland will visit Scotland and seek to extend their winning run.
“Anybody who watched this game would have to agree that there’s room for it in our schedule, it was a class game to watch,” he said. “It’s different to hurling, let’s be honest, but it was smashing.
“You have to commit in this game, if you don’t you’re in trouble because it’s an aggressive game. They’re hurling with a four-foot stick. Everybody I talked to afterwards in the crowd was raving about the game so hopefully we’ll go to Scotland next year and then we’ll get it back to Ireland again and we’ll hopefully have an even bigger crowd for that.”
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