please log in to view this image The 2012 Hurling/Shinty International Series involving Ireland and Scotland was launched by Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael, Liam à Neill in Croke Park today. The series takes place again this year at senior and U21 level. The senior series is played on a home and away basis and the opening game is due to take place in Bught Park, Inverness on Saturday, October 20. The second senior match takes place in Ennis on October 27 and will be preceded by the U21 game which is due to be played on Friday October 19 at 7.00pm under lights in St. Josephs Doora Barefield, Ennis. These games will form the centre-piece of an Irish/Scottish weekend in Ennis which will also feature a concert in the Glór, with artists such as: SlanJ from Scotland, Thrillogy (featuring Kate Purcell and fiddle players Denise Glass and Yuki Nishioka) Chris Dorney (legendary concertina player) Stephanie Keane (Irish Sean Nós Dancer) and the Coughlans. Scotland and Ireland will also promote a Youth Exchange Programme and organise music and cultural workshops over both weekends. In addition, Uachtarán na hÃireann, Michael D. Higgins will officially open Fr. McNamara Park, now Camogie HQ for Clare with the Clare Camogie team playing their Scottish counterparts in a Camogie/Shinty International on Saturday October 27 at 11.00am. The Irish Hurling/Shinty senior team will be managed this year by John Meyler (Cork) and Michael Walshe (Kilkenny) with Gregory OâKane (Antrim) and Jeffrey Lynskey (Galway) looking after the U21 team. Teams are selected on the basis of two trial games and every effort is made to provide representation to developing hurling counties while also providing these players with the opportunity to play alongside a small coherent of players drawn from Tier 1 Counties. Both Senior Games will be transmitted live by TG4 at the following times: ⢠October 20 - 1.15pm ⢠October 27 - 2.05pm\ Summary of events for the weekend in Ennis: Friday, October 26 ⢠U21 Ireland v Scotland, Doora Barefield @ 7.00pm. ⢠Friday evening concert in the Glór. Saturday, October 27 @ 11.00am. ⢠At 11.00am, Clare v Scottish Camogie Team at Fr. McNamara Park. Half time interval opening of the pitch by Uachtarán na hÃireann â Michael D. Higgins ⢠Saturday @ 2.05pm - Ireland v Scotland Menâs Senior Game. Photo: Ireland managers Michael Walshe, left, and John Meyler, with Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Liam à Néill and Ireland U-21 manager Gregory O'Kane, right, in attendance at the launch of the Hurling Shinty International Series. Croke Park, Dublin.
Good stuff. This is a good game to watch compared to that garbage they play the Aussies in with the big ball, I think the reason for this is the players in the shinty/hurling are more evenly matched than when we play the Aussies.
The balance in the rules is tilted towards the Scotch and the standard of player Ireland picks means that Scotland don't get hosed. I quite like the game and it should bring on the ground hurling of some of the guys from the "weaker" counties.
I am watching this now on a delay. Patrick Horgan is running the show. Ireland are playing one too many good players. 4 is too many for the game. But 3 is too few if they are helping to develop the players from the 'weaker' counties. It might change later on but i don't think so.
The Scotch got 2 late late goals to put some respectability on the score-line. 3-10 (25) to 2-9 (19). Patrick Horgan scored all but 2 points for Ireland and the Corkman was by a mile the MoTM. I am kinda glad the Scotch got those goals as it means the return fixture is not a dead rubber. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
Ireland: Bernard Rochford, Joseph Clarke, Shane Dooley, Cormac Donnelly, Patrick Horgan, Patrick Maher, Neil McManus, Barry McFall, Tom Murnane, Brendan Murtagh, Darragh O'Connell, Eoin Price, Paudi Reidy, Des Shaw. Subs: Ciaran Clifford, Steven Clynch, Shane Fennell, Tommy Walsh. All handy hurlers but in all honesty only Horgan, Maher, Walsh and Dooley are top class.
Ireland 25 Scotland 19 Cork's Patrick Horgan stole the show as Ireland claimed a six-point win in the first test of the Marine Harvest Senior International Hurling-Shinty Series at Bught Park, Inverness this afternoon. Horgan bagged 22 points in a game which Ireland lead from the fourth minute, once the Glen Rovers clubman snatched his first goal. Horgan claimed all bar one point of Ireland's first half total, with Offaly's Shane Dooley claiming their last score of the half as the visitors led by 16-6 at the interval. Scotland weren't without their chances with John Stewart through for a goal opportunity in the eighth minute, but goalkeeper Bernard Rochford pulled off a superb save. The Kerry custodian was again on hand in the ninth minute to pull off a save after a Keith MacRae effort. A third Horgan point pushed Ireland 8-2 clear after 12 minutes, before he followed up with a second goal. The hosts kept in touch thanks to the efforts of Kevin Bartlett, but Ireland always held the upper hand. This was a brusing battle, which saw Irish players come off the worse for wear with Rochford, Horgan and Antrim's Barry McFall among those picking up knocks during the game, but they battled through regardless. A Steven MacDonald two-pointer cut the gap to six points with 14 minutes to go before the break, but Ireland finished the half with three unanswered points, including two from Horgan. 16-6 ahead at half-time, both sides were guilty of a number of scoring misses on the restart. It took over 10 minutes for either team to produce a score with Barlett registering his third two-pointer. However, the Caberfeith clubman wouldn't score for the remainder of the game. Horgan completed his hat-trick seven minutes from the end and although Scotland bounced back with late goals from Callum Cruden and Neil MacDonald it was too little too late. After the game Westmeath's Eoin Price accepted the cup for the first test win, but with a second test to follow next weekend Ireland managers John Meyler and Michael Walsh will be requiring a lot more from their side if the title is to be kept in the Emerald Isle. Scorers for Ireland: P Horgan 22; S Dooley, T Walsh, N McManus 1 each. Scorers for Scotland: K Bartnett 6; C Crudden, N Macdonald 5 each; Steven MacDonald 2; N McPhee 1. IRELAND: B Rochford, J Clarke, C Clifford, S Clynch, S Dooley, C Donnelly, S Fennell, P Horgan, P Maher, N McManus, B McFall, T Murnane, B Murtagh, D O'Connell, E Price, P Reidy, D Shaw, T Walsh. SCOTLAND: S Mackintosh, N Campbell, J Barr, D Irvine, D Cameron, N Macdonald, F MacRae, N Macphee, S Nicolson, J Stewart, K Macrae, K Bartlett, L Munro, C Cruden, M MacDonald, D Smart, D Howie, Steven MacDonald, Stuart MacDonald. REFEREE: Billy Wotherspoon (Scotland)
As soon as I saw Hoggy was in the team I thought Scotland were gonna get it. I then thought of lads like Damien Hayes and TJ Reid and thought what they could do in this game. Shefflin could stroll it. Canning too.
