The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Macdonald mark in Scots victory to savour
Goalkeeper praises defence against Irish
Stuart Macdonald became the first Scotland goalkeeper in 20 years to not pick an Irish goal out of the net on a memorable day in Inverness.
The Lovat player made a couple of superb stops to confine the menin green to five points over the bar in Scotland’s 15-5 win in the shinty- hurling international played in front of a 2,000- strong crowd at Bught Park.
His was the first clean s heet s i nce Graeme Macmillan, then of Fort William, stopped so many shots in Ennis, County Clare, that his body was bruised with marks of the ball.
Macdonald, a 25-yearold plumber, made sure there were no leaks in the Scots defence and was quick to share the credit.
“It’s a great feeling to have kept my goal intact,” he said. “The defence was outstanding and time and again stopped the Ireland players getting in shots.”
As well as Macdonald making history in his seventh international, it was also the first time in 14 internationals at Inverness spanning 44 years that neither team found the net.
A determined, well-organised Scottish performanceput thehomeside in control for most of a game which was much less of a spectacle than usual.
Kevin Bartlett was again the leading scorer for Scotland as the Lovat player racked up 14 points over the bar and has now scored a phenomenal 42 points in three successive Bught Park internationals.
“It wasn’t my best game,” said Bartlett. “I missed a few free hits, although not as many as the Irish did. ButI’mhappyto contribute to our victory.”
Glen Urquhart’s John Barr, again the winning Scotland captain, felt it was a tactical triumph and said: “We stuck to our game plan and delivered the display we wanted.”
The men in blue were 10-3 up by half-time, Roddy Macdonald, of Kyles Athletic, hitting the other Scottish point, and when Bartlett added two more points, the feared Irish rally failed to materialise. Kerry’s Micky Boyle scored three points for the visitors, with Meath’s Micky Burke adding the other two.