Hurling/Shinty International test: Ireland 16 (2-1-8) Scotland 14 (2-4-0)
Player of the Year TJ Reid may have been on board but, for the first time in five visits to GAA headquarters this year, the Kilkenny wizard surprisingly failed to score. Patrick 'Bonner' Maher from Tipperary did shoot an important goal but, generally, it was left to players from the Christy Ring Cup tier two competition to dig Ireland out.
With the sides level on 14 points apiece for almost 20 minutes approaching full-time, Kerry's Shane Nolan and Westmeath's Eoin Price pointed in quick succession to earn a narrow win for Ireland.
In the process, they restored pride after a 10-point loss to Scotland in Inverness last month. Ironically, Scotland's call for this year's series to be played as two distinct tests, not linked for aggregate scoring purposes, cost them the title as the series was effectively drawn, one test win each.
MATCH STATS
Ireland: E Reilly (Laois); B Murphy (Kerry), J Toher (Meath); M Burke (Meath), M Whelan (Laois), D Healy (Meath); D McNicholas (Westmeath) (1, 0-0-1), D McInerney (Clare), N McAuley (Antrim) (1, 0-0-1); Z Keenan (Laois) (8, 1-1-3), P Maher (Tipperary) (3, 1-0-0), E Price (Westmeath) (2, 0-0-2); TJ Reid (Kilkenny, S Nolan (Kerry) (1, 0-0-1); Subs used: P Kelly, P Divilly, B Deay.
Scotland: S MacKintosh; F Macrae, C Millar; S MacDonald (2, 0-1-0), R Kennedy, L Bain; D Cameron, J Barr, C Cormack; R MacDonald; K Bartlett (9, 1-3-0), G MacKintosh, G Irvine; F Heath (3, 1-0-0); Subs used: Z Ferguson, L MacDonald, N Reid, P MacArthur, S Nicholson.
Referee: S Cleere (Kilkenny).
