Ireland finish strongly to claim hurling/shinty win

GAA Hurling/Shinty International: Ireland 16 (2-1-8) Scotland 14 (2-4-0)

Shane Nolan and Eoin Price struck the decisive late points at Croke Park as Ireland secured victory in the hurling/shinty international test, effectively ensuring the overall series ended in stalemate.

This year's two tests were played as stand alone fixtures so victory for Jeffrey Lynskey's side resulted in a 1-1 overall result.

Ireland left it late to seal the win with the teams level for 16 minutes of the second-half at 14 points apiece until Kerry's Nolan and Westmeath man Price pointed in quick succession at the death.

Ireland lost the first test to Scotland by 10 points last month in Inverness, their heaviest defeat in the series since 2007, and trailed for the first 20 minutes or so here.

Fraser Heath's seventh minute goal for Scotland, after Steven MacDonald's free was only partially cleared, put the visitors 5-1 up.

But a succession of excellent scores from Keenan drew Ireland level at 7-7 by the 21st minute.

Tipperary's Patrick Maher moved the hosts ahead for the first time in the 28th minute with a fine goal after a strong run and shortened hurl finish from close range.

Scotland's second goal, four minutes later, from Kevin Bartlett, ensured they were just one down at half-time, 13-12.

The match was back level again in the 53rd minute following Bartlett's third free of the game, taking his tally to nine points and leaving the teams locked on 14 apiece.

Scotland manager Ronald Ross described Scotland's performance in the first-half of the Inverness tie as their best ever.

The quality wasn't nearly as high this time with just two scores registered in total in the first 39 minutes of the second-half, one from a free.

So they remained deadlocked at 14-14 until Nolan found some spaced to volley over a crucial point and Price split the posts shortly after to leave two in it.

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Ireland: E Reilly; B Murphy, J Toher; M Burke, M Whelan, D Healy; D McNicholas, D McInerney, N McAuley; Z Keenan, P Maher, E Price; TJ Reid, S Nolan.

Scorers: Z Keenan 8 (1-1-3), P Maher 3 (1-0-0), E Price 2 (0-0-2), N McAuley 1 (0-0-1), D McNicholas 1 (0-0-1), S Nolan 1 (0-0-1)

Subs used: P Kelly, P Divilly, B Deay.

Scotland: S MacKintosh; F Macrae, C Millar; S MacDonald, R Kennedy, L Bain; D Cameron, J Barr, C Cormack; R MacDonald; K Bartlett, G MacKintosh, G Irvine; F Heath.

Scorers: K Bartlett 9 (1-3-0), F Heath 3 (1-0-0), S McDonald 2 (0-1-0)

Subs used: Z Ferguson, L MacDonald, N Reid, P MacArthur, S Nicholson.

Referee: S Cleere (Kilkenny).