By Travis Mills
travis@canucks-abroad.com

In what was a relatively quiet week for the Canadians playing in the Celtic Territory of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland there were, thankfully, a couple of highlights to offset the disappointing news of Keegan Ayre's release from SPL side Hibernian of Edinburgh.

Scotland
Veteran international defender Richard Hastings started his third consecutive game for Inverness CT as they defeated Kilmarnock 3-0 in a battle for ninth place as the Scottish Premier League season nears its end. Hastings played a solid match committing no fouls, and suffering one, in the sixth clean-sheet of the year for the club. Inverness have won back to back games following a ten game winless streak. Kilmarnock midfielder and fellow Canuck Rhian Dodds continues to remain out with a hernia injury that has sidelined him since December.

As mentioned, in other news from Scotland, Hibernian released U-23 midfielder Keegan Ayre, who is now on trial with Gillingham in the English League One (third division).

Wales
In the midweek, long-time The New Saints striker John Toner of Montreal scored a pair for TNS in a 3-1 victory over Connah’s Quay Nomads. The first half was relatively quiet without many chances on both sides, this turned out to be the calm before the storm as four goals were put in after the interval. Less then a minute into the second half, Toner sent a lobbing shot over the on-rushing goalkeeper from the top of the box to put his side in the lead. Shortly after the hour mark, Toner scored his second goal of the game, a beautiful overhead kick after the opposition failed to clear a right-side corner, his sixth goal in the past four games. The weekend fixture was not as successful for Toner, however TNS was still able to claim a 3-0 victory over league leaders Llanelli. Toner did not make it on the score sheet, but some nifty passing did set-up the first goal as the Welsh season came to a close with TNS in second place. In 17 appearances this season, Toner scored 12 goals and was booked on a yellow card once.

Northern Ireland
Ian Mannus backstopped the Ballyclare Comrades drew 1-1 versus league leaders Loughgall FC in the final weeks of the first division season. The goalkeeper will hope his formidable play on loan will earn him a place on first division squad Glentoran in the fall. Mannus has only conceded a league best 11 goals this season.