Senior Hurling-Shinty International

SCOTLAND 2-12 IRELAND 0-15

Poor shooting and frees conceded proved very costly for Ireland as they fell to a three-point defeat to Scotland in today’s Senior Hurling-Shinty International at Bught Park, Inverness.

The visitors hit 19 wides over the course of the 80 minutes and they were made to pay for that profligacy by a more economical Scottish side.

Ireland dominated possession but were pinged time and again for ‘hand on the back’ frees that were punished by Scotland’s highly accurate star forward Kevin Bartlett.

Scotland’s two goals proved crucial too and they were quite similar in nature as first Bartlett and then Roddy MacDonald flicked the ball to the net while Ireland goalkeeper Enda Rowland attempted to clear.

MacDonald’s goal was a particularly damaging one from an Ireland point of view because it gave them a three-point lead late in the game and the impetus to win the match.

It was a highly competitive and skilful contest throughout the 80 minutes and it was Ireland who performed better in the first quarter as points from John McGrath, Conor Lehane, Andy O’Brien and Ross King helped them into a 0-4 to 0-2 lead.

But then Bartlett scored a brilliant sideline which was worth two points and ten minutes later struck for that goal that helped Scotland into 1-5 to 0-5 half-time lead.

Ireland dominated long tracts of the second-half and they looked the more likely victors when a John McGrath sideline and points from the lively Conor Lehane (2), David Reidy, and Lee Chin put them 0-11 to 1-5 ahead.

But a couple of two-pointer frees by Bartlett brought Scotland back into and then when MacDonald pounced for that goal it gave the home team a real momentum.

Further scores followed from Bartlett and Finlay MacRae, and a late rally from Ireland that saw Lehane and Ben Conroy score three points between them proved too little too late.

Scorers for Scotland: Kevin Bartlett 1-10 (6f, 4 sideline, Ronnie MacDonald 1-0, Finlay MacRae 0-1, Steven MacDonald 0-1, 

Scorers for Ireland: Conor Lehane 0-4, John McGrath 0-3 (2 sideline), Lee Chin 0-3 (2f), Ben Conroy 0-2, Andy O’Brien 0-1, Ross King 0-1, David Reidy 0-1.