Skye Camanachd beat Glenurquhart 4-2 in their George Michie Memorial Cup match at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 26 February 2011.
Skye Camanachd first team manager Aonghas MacDonald made two changes to the starting line-up which lost to Lovat a week earlier. Defender Shaun Hedley returned to the side whilst Jordan Murchison’s performance against Lovat earned him a starting spot. Brothers Steven Morrison and Danny Morrison were unavailable.
Glenurquhart were without Scotland keeper Stuart MacKintosh and Eddie Tembo. David MacLennan was also an absentee. Glen manager Jim Barr took the opportunity to field an experimental line up with signing Liam Girvan from Inverness at wing back, Scottish international John Barr at right wing centre and Ally MacKintosh at buckshee forward.
The visitors enjoyed the early pressure and they pinned Skye back during the opening exchanges.
Skye did enjoy one breakaway attack but Jordan Murchison was fouled as he burst towards goal. Skye were unable to capitalise from the resultant free-hit.
John Barr lost his marker to dart forward on 19 minutes. A cross into the danger area found full forward Calum Miller but Skye keeper Michael Nicolson made a good save from Miller’s shot and AB Connor did well to deflect the rebound for a corner.
A couple of minutes later Iain Morrison broke down the Skye right. Jordan Murchison collected his cross and played in Alan Palmer but his shot went wide of target.
A deep cross from Iain Morrison on 24 minutes forced Glen keeper David Emery to break from his goal to chest the ball away and Jordan Murchison was unlucky not to connect with the rebound.
Glenurquhart came closest to taking the lead on the half hour mark. A slip by Kerr Gibb allowed John Barr to push forward but Michael Nicolson made a great save from Barr’s shot to turn the ball away for a corner.
However Glenurquhart took the lead just 60 seconds later. A long ball from Lewis MacLennan caused problems in the Skye defence. Ruairidh Cameron found himself in space on the left and Michael Nicolson raced from his goal in an attempt to close Cameron down. However the Glen forward remained cool and he slotted the ball into the unguarded net from around 20 yards.
A good Skye move on 35 minutes saw Neil MacVicar play the ball forward from midfield to Jordan Murchison. The young Skye forward found Alan Palmer and his shot went just wide of the upright.
Aonghas MacDonald made the first change of the match when he withdrew wing centre Neil MacVicar and pushed Shockie MacLennan into midfield. Shaun Hedley went to buckshee back with Martin Bruce coming on at wing back.
Somhairle MacDonald and Alan Palmer combined 5 minutes from the break and Glen’s Lewis MacLennan was forced to clear the ball off the line.
Glenurquhart made it 2-0 on the stroke of half time. Another surge forward and cross from John Barr wasn’t dealt with and a ball from Neale Reid allowed Ally MacKintosh to take advantage and he fired the ball high into the net.
The second half was just a minute old when a 20 yard John Barr shot forced Michael Nicolson to keep the ball out with an out-stretched right foot.
Skye pulled a goal back on 47 minutes. Kerr Gibb played the ball forward to Alan Palmer who slipped a pass to Somhairle MacDonald. With three Glen defenders in pursuit, MacDonald kept his calm to run in on goal and stroke the ball past Emery to make it 2-1.
Skye had a good chance to level the game on 52 minutes but Somhairle MacDonald was unable to hit the target from a cross to the back post.
Skye kept up the pressure and Emery saved well with an out-stretched right foot from Somhairle MacDonald on 54 minutes. Alan Palmer raced onto the rebound but when he was bundled into the back of the net, both referee Donnie Martin and Goal Judge Ross Cowie signaled for a penalty. Somhairle MacDonald stepped forward to take the spot hit but Emery made a terrific save, again with an out-stretched right foot.
Ruairidh Cameron produced a marvelous first time volley on 62 minutes when he latched onto a clearance from AB Connor but Skye keeper Michael Nicolson was equal to the effort, making a brilliant stop with his right hand to clear the ball for a corner.
The resultant corner from the Glen left found Ruairidh Cameron on the opposite site of the field and Martin Bruce made a crucial challenge to prevent Cameron hitting the target.
Skye had survived a period of Glen pressure but they levelled the game on 64 minutes. AB Connor sent a huge clearance from defence which allowed Jordan Murchison to play in Somhairle MacDonald. The Skye captain controlled the ball and blasted a volley past Emery to the delight of the Skye crowd.
Glen seemed shocked by the turn of events and, urged on by full centre Aaron MacDonald; they attacked Skye from the throw up. However the home defence, marshaled by the experienced Iain Murray and AB Connor and supplemented by the youthful exuberance of teenagers Martin Bruce and Shaun Hedley, stood firm.
Skye had re-introduced Neil MacVicar in attack and he combined with Somhairle MacDonald on 74 minutes to set up a chance for Iain Morrison around the penalty spot and Morrison rifled the ball over the keeper’s left shoulder to put Skye ahead for the first time.
It got even better for the home support on 84 minutes. Kerr Gibb played in Jordan Murchison on the Skye left. Murchison released Alan Palmer who set up Neil MacVicar who crashed a 30 yard screamer high into the Glen net to make it 4-2.
This was a morale-boosting win for Skye and their strong finish to the game will give the young side confidence ahead of the league opener against Strathglass next weekend.
Glenurquhart were sporting in defeat and they will again likely be a force to be reckoned with in shinty’s top division.
The George Michie Memorial Cup was presented to Skye Camanachd captain Somhairle MacDonald by George’s young nephew Cameron MacDonald.
Skye Camanachd from; Michael Nicolson, Iain Murray, AB Connor, Shaun Hedley, Shockie MacLennan, Neil MacVicar, Gilleasbuig MacDonald, Kerr Gibb, Alan Palmer, Iain Morrison, Jordan Murchison, Somhairle MacDonald (captain) subs Martin Bruce, David Nicolson, Willie MacRae
Glenurquhart from; David Emery, Stuart Reid, Liam Girvan, Lewis MacLennan, Andrew Corrigan, John Barr, Aaron MacDonald (captain), David Smart, Ally MacKintosh, Ruairidh Cameron, Neale Reid, Calum Miller subs Calum Smith, Fraser Heath
Referee – Donnie Martin
The match balls were sponsored by Nor-Dan