The Skye Camanachd second team had a 3-2 win over Marine Harvest North Division 2 reigning champions Glenurquhart at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 7 August 2010.
Skye had the usual selection problems which seem to have dogged their season. Second team manager Davie MacVicar was unable to play as he had a hamstring injury and Darryl McIntosh was also missing from the side which lost at Glengarry with a broken thumb. Captain David Grant was on holiday whilst Scott MacLeod and Ally MacLeod were both unavailable.
Andrew Banks came into the side after playing in the first team’s noon throw up win over Inverness. Martin Bruce and Stewart Grant returned to the side after a spell with the first team as did Shaun Hedley who also missed the Glengarry game. Scott Martin returned to the squad whilst Allan MacKinnon, Iain Morrison and Neil MacVicar were included having played for the first team against Inverness. MacKinnon started in attack whilst the other two were on the bench.
Young Skye defender Iain Grant captained the side for the first time in the absence of his older cousin David Grant.
Glenurquhart managers Mike Cameron and Steve Henderson made several enforced changes to the side which lost out to Lovat in the Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup Final last weekend. Indeed Gregor MacCormack, Iain MacLeod, Calum Smith and Kelvin MacKenzie were the only players on show who started the final whilst Stuart Morrison, Ewan Menzies, Daniel MacKintosh came off last week’s bench to start against the Islanders. Indeed the Glen’s resources were so stretched that co-managers Mike Cameron and Steve Henderson were their only substitutes.
The first real chance of the opening period was created by Skye when Jordan Murchison slipped the ball to Ally MacDonald and his shot flew just wide of the post.
Skye went even closer to breaking the deadlock a couple of minutes later. A Jordan Murchison shot was saved by Ryan Brady in the Glen goal. The keeper also saved the rebound before Allan MacKinnon hit the outside of the post.
However it was Glenurquhart who made the break-through on 14 minutes. Full forward Stuart Morrison held the ball up as Kelvin MacKenzie made an unchecked run from left midfield. Morrison slipped the ball to MacKenzie and the on-rushing youngster slammed the ball high into the net.
Skye were level on 29 minutes when Jordan Murchison and Ally MacDonald combined and the ball broke to Malcolm Moir who gave Brady no chance as he drove the ball over the keeper’s shoulder into the net.
Skye had the chance to take the lead a couple of minutes later when Glen defender Calum Smith was penalised for a kick in the area. Jordan Murchison hit the penalty well enough but Ryan Brady made a brilliant save with his stick, high to his right, to the turn the ball away for a corner.
Murchison almost made amends on 36 minutes as he tried to control a bobbling ball from the right in front of goal but he was penalised for a kick.
A long ball from Stewart Grant to Allan MacKinnon put the Glen defence under pressure after 40 minutes. Good play from MacKinnon on the wing allowed him the space to cross for Ally MacDonald but his shot flew wide of goal.
Allan MacKinnon was in the thick of the action again a minute later when he collected a Martin Bruce free hit but Brady saved his goal-bound effort.
Good passing between Stewart Grant, Ally MacDonald and Allan MacKinnon on 43 minutes set up Jordan Murchison whose shot went narrowly wide of the goal.
The final chance of the half fell to the Glen’s Stuart Morrison but his shot flashed across the goal following a good cross from James Hurwood.
The visitor’s started the second half on the attack. Michael Nicolson in the Skye goal did well to stop a Kelvin MacKenzie shot with his hand and home defender Iain Grant equally well to clear James Hurwood’s shot off the goal line for a corner. Daniel MacKintosh’s corner from the left fell to Kelvin MacKenzie and he gave Nicolson no chance as he lashed the ball into the net to put Glenurquhart 2-1 ahead.
Kelvin MacKenzie was continuing to push forward from midfield and he almost completed his hat-trick on 51 minutes but he pulled his shot wide of goal.
Skye leveled for the second time on 54 minutes when Ally MacDonald and Allan MacKinnon combined to force a save with his feet from Brady but MacKinnon followed up to tuck the ball low into the net.
Skye made their first change of the afternoon immediately after the goal, bringing Neil MacVicar on in place of Daniel Morrison.
Iain Morrison then came on in attack to replace Jordan Murchison.
Neil MacVicar played a good ball into the danger area on 58 minutes but there were no takers and the ball went behind for a goal hit.
Skye enjoyed the majority of possession for the last half hour of the game and Allan MacKinnon went close on 61 minutes.
Skye made their final substitution on 64 minutes with Neil John Campbell replacing Malcolm Moir. Campbell went onto the wing with Iain Morrison moving to buckshee forward.
Iain Morrison ran at the Glen defence on 68 minutes and knocked the ball forward to Allan MacKinnon who shot wide of target.
Glenurquhart defender Calum Smith was booked by referee Ronnie Campbell for a wild swing at Allan MacKinnon after 70 minutes.
Michael Nicolson in the Skye goal saved well from Ewen Menzies on 72 minutes as Glenurquhart fought back.
It was then the turn of Glen keeper Brady to shine when he stopped an Iain Morrison shot and cleared the danger following a good run by the Skye youngster.
Skye continued to press and a long ball out of defence from Martin Bruce on 80 minutes found Ally MacDonald who played in Allan MacKinnon but Brady raced from his goal to clear the ball at the expense of a shy on the Skye right.
Skye finally broke down the determined Glen defence on 83 minutes. Neil John Campbell played in a corner from the right which came across goal to Allan MacKinnon who lifted the ball past Brady into the net.
Glenurquhart made a final push to snatch a point and Michael Nicolson stopped a Ewen Menzies shot with his chest on 85 minutes.
An 88 minute free hit on the Skye right from Donnie Campbell, who played well at full centre, found Iain Morrison just outside the D but his shot went over the bar under pressure from the Glen defence.
So it was the Islanders who saw out the remaining seconds to pick up a couple of unexpected points.
This was a good team performance from Skye who finished the game with only 4 players out of their teenage years on the park.
Glenurquhart fought hard and Kelvin MacKenzie and Gregor MacCormack were the pick of their side. Veteran Stuart Morrison was also a positive influence in attack. There were a couple of occasions where Morrison could have lashed his caman at a couple of young home defenders who didn’t have their block suitably in place. Instead Morrison opted to have a word with his less experienced opponents and point out the error of their ways and this action was commendable and the way it should be at this level of shinty.
Skye Camanachd from; Michael Nicolson, Andrew Banks, Iain Grant (captain), Shaun Hedley, Martin Bruce, Stewart Grant, Donnie Campbell, Daniel Morrison, (Neil MacVicar), Malcolm Moir, (Neil John Campbell), Allan MacKinnon, Jordan Murchison, (Iain Morrison), Ally MacDonald, subs Scott Martin, Ryan Nicolson, not used
Match Referee – Ronnie Campbell
The match balls were sponsored by Nor-Dan