Shinty: Band of brothers show their pride as Scots seek to overcome Ireland

For years, debate has raged in shinty as to whether the annual shinty/hurling international, concluding today, is taken seriously enough on either side of the water.

if anyone had any doubts over what wearing the dark blue of Scotland means, they should look to the MacRae family from the west Highlands.

Three brothers, all from the newly-promoted Kinlochshiel club near Lochalsh, will line up for the anthems today, with Keith (24) and Finlay (26) eager to avenge last weekend’s first leg senior defeat in Kildare.

For younger brother John (20), the stakes are equally as high, with the responsibility of captaining the Scotland Under-21 side against Ireland’s hurlers falling on his shoulders.

Proud parents Alice and Finlay MacRae senior will be at the Bught Park in Inverness in front of the live BBC2 cameras, hoping to see their sons triumph, just as they were in Ireland last week.

With the Scots seeking to reverse a 19-14 deficit from that first leg in Kildare, Finlay knows what it will mean in his household if the national team prevail and halt Ireland’s winning run in the series.

“I think we can pull the series back round and it would be great if we could,” said the player, now in his ninth season in junior and senior internationals.

“Obviously, it is a real honour for us, as brothers, to be playing for Scotland together and I think our mum is quite proud, too.

“Our parents are our number one fans. They follow us wherever we are playing, even to Ireland.

“They will be at the game today, along with quite a contingent. Last week, we were all really disappointed to lose against Ireland and wished we could play them the next day.

“However, we are confident for this one. It is certainly possible to win it back.”

Three-point goals will be crucial for the Scots today if they are to peg back Joe Dooley’s men, and it was Finlay’s younger sibling, Keith, that claimed one of the Scots’ two counters in Athy last Saturday on his debut.

Driving rain and gales, combined with outrageously long grass at Geraldine Park, made it a slog against Ireland’s aerial onslaught of 16 points over the uprights.

Providing the heavens don’t open again in the Highlands overnight, though, Scotland should be able to take the initiative to the Irish today on the ground.

“The Irish hurlers are very fast and physical and they are difficult to stop when they get the ball on the end of the hurley.

“I also feel that, last week, they got away with more from the referee than we would in shinty.

“However, we just need to play to our strengths and that is keeping the ball down.”

Drew McNeil has been forced to re-jig his squad from last Saturday but was boosted with news from across the Irish Sea yesterday.

Eoin Kelly, who scored six points and won the man-of-the-match award last week, has been forced to withdraw. Perhaps the Scots can make hay and capitalise.