Finlay Macrae is something of a rarity in Scotland's shinty squad:
a player who knows what it is like to secure annual bragging rights against the Irish. The Scotland captain will be aware, though, that if his side can cross the finishing line in Newry today - after winning 23-14 last weekend - it will probably be the biggest achievement of his cap days so far.
The Kinlochshiel player started out on his promising international career at the tail end of a dominant dark blue era. Those days are now mere memories; indeed, save for a rare win at Croke Park in 2010, the Scotland players have not savoured a series victory since the annual challenge switched to a two-legged format that same year. Ireland have seemed to be a level above, leaving some observers to question whether Scotland would again be able to match their rivals on the pitch.
The failings of the past were put to bed, at least temporarily, last Saturday and Macrae's side appear ready to complete their plan to wrest the series trophy, finally, from Irish hands. The nation waits to see if the players can achieve at Pairc Esler today what had seemed almost inconceivable of late.
"The boys put in a huge effort in Inverness in the first leg and it was fantastic stuff to watch as well," said Macrae. "Obviously, you can see where Ireland are dangerous - when they get the ball up on their hurl, there is not much you can do. However, I feel we nullified that well in the first leg. Things have worked well under our new manager, Ronald Ross. As a player, you respect what he says. He's the best player in shinty."
Ross will be familiar with the environment his Scotland charges will find themselves in today. He has been taking juvenile national teams across the Irish Sea for years in his role as a Camanachd Association coach and had many of the current side under his wing at Under-17 level.
Players like Roddy MacDonald, of Kyles - who excelled in the first leg with a double - as well as newcomers Lorne MacKay and Calum Miller all took their first international steps under the watchful eye of the former Kingussie player. It is clear the new-look squad is responding to Ross' coaching philosophy.
"Most of the players played in the first leg the way they would any other Saturday afternoon," said Kevin Bartlett, Scotland's top scorer. "The Irish were thrashing about in the air but the manager said to us not to swing at it at that height, get it down [on the ground] to where we want it. I think that worked well for us in Inverness.
"To be honest, even when they had the wind in the second half, I felt we continued to cause them a lot of problems. We will be aiming to get another win [today]."
Unlike his captain, Bartlett, who took 16 points in the first leg, has never known what it is like to win a series against Ireland. As a consequence of that, it is unlikely that any Scottish player - or supporter for that matter - could be coaxed to predict a win just yet. If Scotland succeed, it will be a feeling like no other.
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