By Steve Malone

GALWAY’S 2017 All-Ireland winner Thomas Monaghan says it was a proud moment to pull on the Irish jersey for Saturday’s entertaining Hurling-Shinty international win over Scotland.

"It was a different challenge," said Monaghan. "I suppose we are so used to taking the ball into hand and we got caught a couple of times kicking the ball ahead of us but it is just instinct. It was a great challenge and totally different and I was amazed with how far Scotland could hit the ball off the ground.

"I think we gelled together pretty well as team considering we only got together over the last couple of weeks.

“Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience and I was glad to get the opportunity.

“We have been so used to watching the rugby players over this last number of weeks so it was great to put on an Irish jersey and in a few years, it will be something to look back and be very proud.

“I was very happy to get involved, we are not training with or clubs our counties at the minute so I suppose it is a great honour to play with the top lads from other counties, lads you are usually going up against. It was great to play alongside them and to get to know them as well, so it was an overall enjoyable experience.”

The Tribesman was impressed with the opposition and he couldn’t get over how far Scotland could hit the sliotar.

“It was great to play against Scotland, their skillset is unbelievable, I was astonished with how far they can hit the ball from the ground, none of us can do that," said Monaghan.

“There is no give in their sticks anyway, there were plenty of hurly sticks broken but none of the shinty sticks were broken.”

Scotland’s Iain Robinson said he enjoyed the challenge and he was content with his sides’ performance.

“It was a tough game; the rule changes have kind of benefited Ireland I feel but we knew that coming into the game. I thought we dealt with it really well. Obviously, Ireland have a lot of top players and towards the end their quality showed. Ireland didn’t miss much, whenever they got an opportunity to put it over the bar they usually did,” said Robinson.

And the lively attacker feels that there is scope to make the competition a more regular event again.

“The coming together of the two sports is really special and to be involved with the two nations facing each other and getting it back on the calendar means a lot. Hopefully we can have the Irish lads over in Scotland next year," said Robinson.

“Keep it year about and go back and forth. It is quite nice for the Irish boys to come over and experience the game on a Shinty pitch.”