International Match

[bredaghexile]

u have a pretty good team at LJMU and yea the ref wasnt that good in the final (think it was the same one that reffed our game. btw wat position were u playing)
i played for the ulster u-16 team that went over to scotland to play our shinty counter-parts in 2006 and i can see were ur coming from cos they are very diiferent however i like the idea of not being able to use ur hands to an extend as it quickens the stick work of the hurlers which when they bring back to hurling matches will benefit they greatly (thats wat i found when i played) it is one hell of a concession IMO but in reality if the hurlers were allowed to play normal hurling it wouldnt be a contest. i think the point of it is to create links with our celtic neighbours unlike the gaelic/AFL series which IMO is jst an excuse for the top cats of the GAA to go to dubai for a couple of weeks for "meetings" then on to Australia to be wined and dined
the shinty lads i spoke to when we played them as a warm up game liked the idea cos it gave them a different experience playing shinty as they found it difficult to deal with us running at them with the ball on ours sticks at the start without fouling us.
 i suppose i like the idea of lads getting a chance to play for their country when in all other circumstances they wouldnt get a chance to (at least we dont have to worry about shinty nickking all our top players like the footballers do about the AFL)
however i would prefer that the GAA put more of an effort in promoting the Railway Cup again instead of trying to make more and more connections with other organisations.

[Lamh Dhearg Alba]

This year's game about to start live on TG4 YouTube. Ireland won the U 21 game earlier on.

[burdizzo]

Jesus, Ireland didn't do too good in that!

[marty34]

Jesus, Ireland didn't do too good in that!

Poor enough.  Scots came to win.  Ireland were brutal.

How do you get 'picked' to play?

[shantygael]

Jesus, Ireland didn't do too good in that!

Poor enough.  Scots came to win.  Ireland were brutal.

How do you get 'picked' to play?

You have to  accumulate three red cards in one season of which one must include a striking offence. 😁

[Lamh Dhearg Alba]

It doesn't ever tend to be a great spectacle but it can be exciting if it's close. With the shite weather and gulf between the sides yesterday was particularly poor, although Scotland did score a couple of decent goals. Maybe a thumping like that will encourage Ireland to pick a stronger team, been a few years since they won now.

[Eamonnca1]

Could it be a sign that the standard of Shinty is improving?

[Mossy Bruce]

The U21s did a fine job against the Scots, 7-11 v 4-2.

[johnnycool]

It doesn't ever tend to be a great spectacle but it can be exciting if it's close. With the shite weather and gulf between the sides yesterday was particularly poor, although Scotland did score a couple of decent goals. Maybe a thumping like that will encourage Ireland to pick a stronger team, been a few years since they won now.

Take it for what it is.

A bit of a run out for mostly tier 2 and tier 3 lads to play for Ireland.

[Lamh Dhearg Alba]

Could it be a sign that the standard of Shinty is improving?

Personally I think the standard of shinty has been dropping for the past decade. The Newtonmore side who recently won the Camanachd Cup for the 4th year in a row aren't in the same class as the great Kingussie side of the 90's, or even the Fort William side of the noughties. But regardless, I don't think you could ever really gauge the health of shinty from the international anyway. Ultimately it's a weird mix of the sports.

[Lamh Dhearg Alba]

It doesn't ever tend to be a great spectacle but it can be exciting if it's close. With the shite weather and gulf between the sides yesterday was particularly poor, although Scotland did score a couple of decent goals. Maybe a thumping like that will encourage Ireland to pick a stronger team, been a few years since they won now.

Take it for what it is.

A bit of a run out for mostly tier 2 and tier 3 lads to play for Ireland.

Perhaps. I think it's a worthy enough event to celebrate an ancient common root. But there are plenty of people who question the international. If Ireland persist with teams without any top players, and continue to lose every year, then it gets harder to argue in favour of keeping it going.

[Antrim Coaster]

The Scots seem to take the hybrid international a lot more seriously than the Irish.

They had their panel announced 6-8 weeks ago which gave them more time together.

The hurling squad was announced the Wednesday before the match and I wouldn't think they had much time together to prepare.

The hurlers are more greatly handicapped in that they cant take the ball in the hand and the 2 points awarded for a sideline or a free cut off the ground makes it much more easier for the Scots to score, when compared to the art of taking a sideline cut using a hurl which is a difficult enough task to accomplish unless you're Joe Canning.

The fact that the lack of Tier 1 players and preparation time on the Irish side would indicate that the Irish really don't take it too seriously.

Its not a bad game to watch when in full flow and Ireland field a strong team. I'd say if there was a full strength Ireland team with some preparation they'd knock the Scots for 6.

[manfromdelmonte]

Hiding the game away somewhere doesn't help

When you see all the money wasted on that hurling classic joke in the USA

[hurlinchief]

The Scots seem to take the hybrid international a lot more seriously than the Irish.

They had their panel announced 6-8 weeks ago which gave them more time together.

The hurling squad was announced the Wednesday before the match and I wouldn't think they had much time together to prepare.

The hurlers are more greatly handicapped in that they cant take the ball in the hand and the 2 points awarded for a sideline or a free cut off the ground makes it much more easier for the Scots to score, when compared to the art of taking a sideline cut using a hurl which is a difficult enough task to accomplish unless you're Joe Canning.

The fact that the lack of Tier 1 players and preparation time on the Irish side would indicate that the Irish really don't take it too seriously.

Its not a bad game to watch when in full flow and Ireland field a strong team. I'd say if there was a full strength Ireland team with some preparation they'd knock the Scots for 6.

agree with all this. To play shinty for Scotland is more prestigious it seems. I suppose they have no intercounty structure so the country makes up for that for them. Also the club competetion in Ireland is still in full flow at this time. Hopefully those over the Irish and Irish palyers will give the competion more respect. Iomain Colm Cille competion is great. Gaelatcht Shinty teams vs Gaeltacht (or irish speaking) Hurling teams.