Portree Primary School Retain P7 First Shinty Trophy. | |
21 March 2010 Portree Primary School are P 7 & Under National First Shinty Champions for the second consecutive year following a Golden Goal victory over Beauly in the final at the Sports Centre, Inverness on 20 March 2010.
This tournament featured the regional winners from First Shinty Indoor events throughout Scotland.
Portree Primary School were reigning national champions in this competition and they were joined in the finals by North End who were desperately unlucky to lose in the final of the P5 & under competition last year.
A total 10 teams made up two leagues of five teams. North End were joined in League A by Kingussie, St Columba, Meadowburn and Dingwall. Portree were in League B with Beauly, Banavie, Milngavie& Bearsden and Lochgoilhead.
Portree ended their League programme top of League B. The young Islanders were level on points and goal difference with Beauly, but finished in first place by virtue of having scored one more goal than the green and whites. There was little between the top sides and they would meet again before the competition was over.
League A was equally tight with North End finishing second behind the much fancied Kingussie side.
Beauly edged out Kingussie in first semi final. This was a close affair with Beauly having the advantage of some bigger, skilful players.
The second semi final was an all Skye affair as Portree met North End. This was a repeat of the final of the Skye qualifying competition for this event. North End took the lead through Calum Campbell who was a danger throughout. However Portree levelled through Johnny Laing to ensure the sides were level at half time. A feature was the battles between North End’s John Gillies and Portree’s James Pringle and North End’s Calum Campbell and Caitlin MacLean of Portree. The match was a credit to both sides and it was Portree’s Connor Ross who scored the all important goal to put his side into the final.
North End went on to beat Kingussie 1-0 in the 3 / 4 place play-off thanks to a John Gillies strike. The side is coached by Skye Camanachd’s Camanachd Cup winner Donnie “Digg” MacDonald and 2 of their top players – John Gillies and Calum Campbell – will still be eligible for next year’s competition.
North End from; Charlie Matheson, Ewen MacDonald, Harry Wade, John Gillies, Callum Campbell, Robert MacDonald, Angus MacDonald, Calum Gillies
The final was the second meeting between rivals Portree and Beauly. The sides drew 1-1 when they met in League B and the final was to be another close affair. Beauly started well and they pressed their physical advantage to take an early lead. In fact Portree keeper Iain P MacKenzie made four outstanding saves and clearances in the first half to keep his side in the game. This gave his team-mates confidence and defenders Donald Nicolson and Caitlin MacLean began to dominate the Beauly forwards and did so for the remainder of the game. Just before half time, Catlin MacLean broke free from her defensive duties and as she crossed the halfway line, she fired a terrific long range effort into the net to level the game. It was a great goal and her surge forward was reminiscent in style to her uncle, Skye Camanachd’s Camanachd Cup winning captain Caley MacLean. However it should be said that Caitlin’s finishing was much better! Portree enjoyed a fair amount of pressure in the second half but they were unable to turn this advantage into a goal and the match finished 1-1 at full time. Portree went into Golden Goal period with memories of doing the same in the Skye qualifier against the unlucky North End side.
Within just a minute of the start of extra time, Portree’s captain Johnny Laing led by example as he sent the Portree supporters into raptures by scoring the winning goal - just as he did in the Skye qualifier.
It was a good all round performances from all the Portree players with even the substitutes playing their part. Donald Nicolson and Caitlin MacLean were fantastic in defence whilst James Pringle accounted for Beauly’s formidable threat in the middle of the park. Keeper Ian P MacKenzie made great saves at crucial times and Johnny Laing was on hand to score some vital goals including the winner in the final.
The Portree squad was coached by David Pringle and Ewen MacLean and they deserve great credit for their hard work in the lead up to the competition and holding their nerve throughout the day.
With Portree winning the competition and North End finishing third, this was a very successful day for Skye shinty.
Portree Primary School from; Iain P MacKenzie, Donald Nicolson, Ian Nicolson, Caitlin MacLean, James Pringle, Johnathan Laing, Connor Ross, Niall McHugh |