Old failings now put to bed as newlook Scots dream of victory
FINLAY MACRAE is something of a rarity in Scotland’s shinty squad: a player who knows what it is like to secure annual bragging rights against the Irish. The Scotland captain will be aware, though, that if his side can cross the finishing line in Newry today – after winning 23-14 last weekend – it will probably be the biggest achievement of his cap days so far.
The Kinlochshiel player started out on his promising international career at the tail end of a dominant dark blue era. Those days are now mere memories; indeed, save for a rare win at Croke Park in 2010, the Scotland players have not savoured a series victory since the annual challenge switched to a two-legged format that same year. Ireland have seemed to be a level above, leaving some observers to question whether Scotland would again be able to match their rivals on the pitch.
The failings of the past were put to bed, at least temporarily, last Saturday and Macrae’s side appear ready to complete their plan to wrest the series trophy, finally, from Irish hands. The nation waits to see if the players can achieve at Pairc Esler today what had seemed almost inconceivable of late.
“The boys put in a huge effort in Inverness in the first leg and it was fantastic stuff to watch as well,” said Macrae. “Obviously, you can see where Ireland are dangerous – when they get the ball up on their hurl, there is not much you can do. However, I feel we nullified that well in the first leg. Things have worked well under our new manager, Ronald Ross. As a player, you respect what he says. He’s the best player in shinty.”
Ross will be familiar with the environment his Scotland charges will find themselves in today. He has been taking juvenile national teams across the Irish Sea for years in his role as a Camanachd Association coach and had many of the current side under his wing at Under-17 level.
Players like Roddy MacDonald, of Kyles – who excelled in the first leg with a double – as well as newcomers Lorne MacKay and Calum Miller all took their first international steps under the watchful eye of the former Kingussie player. It is clear the newlook squad is responding to Ross’ coaching philosophy.
“Most of the players played in the first leg the way they would any other Saturday afternoon,” said Kevin Bartlett, Scotland’s top scorer. “The Irish were thrashing about in the air but the manager said to us not to swing at it at that height, get it down [on the ground] to where we want it. I think that worked well for us in Inverness.
“To be honest, even when they had the wind in the second half, I felt we continued to cause them a lot of problems. We will be aiming to get another win [today].”
Unlike his captain, Bartlett, who took 16 points in the first leg, has never known what it is like to win a series against Ireland. As a consequence of that, it is unlikely that any Scottish player – or supporter for that matter – could be coaxed to predict a win just yet. If Scotland succeed, it will be a feeling like no other. SCOTLAND’S Peter Whiteford led at the halfway stage of the ISPS Handa Perth International while England’s James Morrison catapulted himself into contention by breaking the course record at Lake Karrinyup.
Whiteford followed up his 66 on the opening day with another six-underpar score in his second round and was once again in superb touch on the front nine. Having started at the 10th, the 34-year-old, who must finish in the top two to retain his European Tour card, had only one birdie to show for his efforts but he picked up shots at three of his next four holes after the turn. He then eagled the par-5 seventh for the second day in succession to move to 12 under par for the tournament, one ahead of Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen.
“You’re always thinking you could have done better, but that eagle made me feel a lot better,” Whiteford said. “This week it’s no holds barred: win or bust. I’m very nervous, there’s no doubt about that. I’ve got to just keep attacking. I don’t want to go back to [qualifying] school – nobody does – but I get what I deserve in this game, and I’ve been awful all year. It’s nice that the form is coming back.”
Kim Sihwan, another player needing at least a top-two finish to avoid losing his tour card and go to qualifying school, is on 10 under par overall.
Morrison is in joint fourth, alongside another Scot, David Drysdale, after his flawless nine-under-par 63. The 29-year-old was well adrift of the frontrunners after an opening 72 but is now just three shots off the lead following his bogey-free round which included birdies on four of his final five holes. “I knew I was playing well. I actually know in Perth it gets windy in the afternoon and calm in the morning, so I was hoping for a nice calm day. I got that and just played great all day really,” said Morrison.