In attendance, from left, Ireland player Peter Duggan, Ireland selector Terence McNaughton, Ireland manager Damien Coleman, Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Larry McCarthy, Camanachd Association president Steven MacKenzie, Scotland player Ruairidh Anderson and Ireland player David Fitzgerald at the Hurling Shinty International 2023 launch at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
The 2023 Hurling/Shinty International was officially launched today by Uachtarán Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, Larry McCarthy, and President of the Camanachd Association, Steven MacKenzie, in Croke Park.
The match will see Ireland take on Scotland in a compromise rules game on Saturday, October 21st in Páirc Esler, Newry at 2.45pm. It will be the first Hurling-Shinty international since 2019.
The International Exhibition 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. The event is a collaboration between the GAA and the Camanachd Association, the governing body for Shinty. 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.
Larry McCarthy, GAA President, said: “On behalf of the Gaelic Athletic Association I welcome the resumption of our collaboration with our friends, and neighbours and sporting cousins in Alba agus An Cumann Camanachd to stage the Ireland-Scotland Hurling-Shinty international”.
“This match is an opportunity to celebrate our ties and the cultural links between our proud peoples – chief among which are the games of hurling and shinty which share a common ancestor.
“Next year, the Gaelic Athletic Association will be 140 years old but, that is a mere trifle in the life span of hurling, which later this decade will mark 3,300 years in our consciousness. Rules have changed dramatically in the last 140 years never mind 3,000 - but what the games of hurling and shinty continue to champion are extraordinary levels of skill and feats of stamina and strength that people marvel at.
“Nothing celebrates Gaelic Games more than the playing of games and that is why this link between the GAA and the Camanachd Association is so important.”
Ireland players Peter Duggan, left, and David Fitzgerald with Scotland player Ruairidh Anderson in attendance at the Hurling Shinty International 2023 launch at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.
Steven MacKenzie, President of the Camanachd Association, expressed his enthusiasm saying: "For the Scotland players it is a great honour to represent their country. I wish them the best of luck and ask them to do their clubs, their communities and their country proud. Shinty looks on with admiration to our Celtic cousins and has much to learn from the professionalism and dedication of our hurling counterparts. While we have a long road to travel, we have aspirations that our sport be valued and supported as deeply as Gaelic games are in Ireland.
“On behalf of the Camanachd Association, I would like to thank our friends at the Gaelic Athletic Association for hosting us and restarting the series after the hiatus caused by COVID 19. We thank GAA President, Larry McCarthy, for his hospitality and would like to extend an invite to both the Éire seniors and the under-21s to Scotland in 2024.”
Each nation has selected a 20-player squad to travel to Newry next week. Scotland will be managed by Garry Reid with selectors Alan MacRae and Robert Geddes. The Irish team will be managed by former Connacht Hurling Director, Damien Coleman, with an experienced backroom team of Kieran Kingston (Cork), Terence ‘Sambo’ McNaughton (Antrim) and Michael Kavanagh (Kilkenny).
The Ireland squad will be captained by Antrim and Cushendall star Neil McManus after his successful participation for the county in the Liam MacCarthy Cup this year. Poc Fada star Cillian Kiely (Offaly), Ryan Mullaney (Laois) and Caolan Taggart (Down) were all previously involved in 2019, while Fionan Mackessy (Kerry) was part of the U21 panel in 2019.
Thomas Gleeson from Dublin has been appointed as the referee and the game will be shown live on the official TG4 YouTube channel. The international match will be followed by the Down intermediate hurling county final at 5pm.
Hurling Shinty International - Ireland Senior Team
Niall Arthur, Iniskeen Grattans - Monaghan
Mickey Joe Egan, St Dominic's - Roscommon
David Fitzgerald, Inagh-Kilnamona – Clare
Peter Duggan, Clooney-Quin - Clare
Andrew Gilsenan-Kavanagh, Barndarrig - Wicklow
Cillian Kiely, Kilcormac-Killoughey – Offaly
Eoghan Cahill, Birr – Offaly
Fionan Mackessy, St Brendan's - Kerry
Luca McCusker, Lisbellaw St. Patrick's - Fermanagh
Neil McManus, Ruairí Óg, Cushendall - Antrim
Chris Nolan, Mount Leinster Rangers – Carlow
Ryan Mullaney, Castletown – Laois
Stephen Maher, Clough-Ballacolla – Laois
Paddy Purcell, Rathdowney-Errill - Laois
Enda Rowland, Abbeyleix - Laois
Padraig Walsh, Tullaroan – Kilkenny
Ben Conneely, St Rynagh's, Offaly
Ger Millerick, Father O'Neill's - Cork
Rob Downey, Glen Rovers – Cork
Tom Monaghan, Craughwell – Galway
Irish Senior Management team
Manager: Damien Coleman (Galway)
Backroom Team: Kieran Kingston (Cork), Terence ‘Sambo’ McNaughton (Antrim), Michael Kavanagh (Kilkenny).
