Keeshan’s kicks prove crucial as Ireland hold off brave Scots

IRELAND held off a tremendous late Scottish rally at Donnybrook to win a hugely enjoyable AIB Club international last night.

Ireland looked to have the game in the bag entering stoppage time when they led 20 points to 8 before Scottish substitute Graeme Dodds got over for a try that Stephen Ruddick converted.

The visitors were immediately back on the attack and went within inches of drawing level only to lose out when an almost certain scoring pass to winger Rory Couper went astray.

The final whistle sounded immediately and a relieved Irish coach Brian Walsh and his players were able to celebrate a notable triumph, which came after a game played at a fierce pace.

They owed much to the accurate boot of Dolphin out-half Barry Keeshan who knocked over five penalties but could be rated a little fortunate to prevail if only because the visitors won the try count by two to one.

Winger Max Rantz McDonald opened Ireland’s account early on when Keeshan found fellow Dolphin man Eric Moloney with a sweet skip pass and he in turn put the Clontarf man in for the game’s first try. It was beautifully taken and came in reply to a Scottish penalty by Andrew Skeen.

It was followed by two magnificent line breaks from Moloney who was causing the Scottish defence all sorts of problems. Keeshan stretched Ireland’s lead with a close-range penalty but Declan Varley was experiencing difficulty finding his jumpers at the lineout and as a consequence, some likely looking chances went begging.

Scotland were back on terms on 33 minutes when right winger Marc Teague finished off a fine attack.

Keeshan had Ireland back in front almost immediately with his second penalty as the small but enthusiastic attendance, aided and abetted by the lively AIB band, created a delightful atmosphere on a lovely spring night.

Irish flanker Simon Crawford was yellow carded on the stroke of half time for a professional infringement but Skeen missed the resultant goal kick and the home side went in just deserving their three point advantage.

In spite of their numerical disadvantage, Ireland started the second half where they left off in the first, and two more Keeshan penalties pushed them 17-8 clear.

Crawford’s return to the fray coincided with the temporary departure of Scottish prop Bruce McNeil for a high tackle and further Scottish indiscipline led to Keeshan putting his educated left boot to extend the gap to 12 points.

It looked like staying that way until the Scots exploded into life in the dying moments. The seven-pointer courtesy of Dodds’s try and Ruddick’s conversion, however, wasn’t enough to save them.

IRELAND: D. McKechnie (Greystones); C. Healy (Cork Con), G. Stafford (Lansdowne), E. Moloney (Dolphin), M.R. McDonald (Clontarf); B. Keeshan (Dolphin), R. Cushion (Old Belvedere); M. Gateley (Highfield), D. Varley (Garryowen), S. Shawe (Ballymena), A. Maher (Lansdowne) capt, S. O’Connor (Cork Con), S. Crawford (Clontarf), J.E. O’Connor (UL Boh), H. Hogan (St Marys College). Replacements: P. Malone (Garryowen) and R. Sweeney (St Marys) for Hogan and Shawe, both 59 mins; S. Cronin (UCC) Cushion 67; A. Finn (Shannon) and A. Kingsley (Garryowen) for Moloney and Keeshan 71; D. Murray and M. O’Connell (both Con) for Varley and Maher 74.

SCOTLAND: S. Ruddick (Boroughmuir); M. Teague (Heriots), G. Thomson (Dundee HSFP), M. Clapperton (Boroughmuir), R. Couper (Boroughmuir); A. Skeen (Watsonians), R. Snedden (Currie); G. McNeill (Heriots), S. Crombie (Boroughmuir) , J. Welsh (GHA), D. Kelly (Ayr), A. Adam (Currie), T. McVie (Heriots) capt, R. Weston (Currie), A. Martyn (Boroughmuir). Replacements: D. Brown (Watsonians) for Clapperton; G. Monkfield (Stirling Co) for McVie; G. Oomon (Dundee) for Martyn; G. Dodds (Melrose) for Crombie.

Referee: T. Wigglesworth (England).