The Shinty Round Up – Saturday 27 August 2011. | |
29 August 2011 It was a big shinty day at both the top and bottom of the Scottish Hydro Premier League and Bute clinched the Marine Harvest South Division 1 title and a return to shinty’s top flight on Saturday 27 August 2011. Scottish Hydro Premier Division Newtonmore 2 Fort William 1 Newtonmore won the match of the day in the Scottish Hydro Premier Division with a 2-1 victory over Fort William in their 3pm clash at the Eilan. Fort William were without Gordie MacKinnon and they missed his presence up front. Danny MacRae put the home side ahead on 10 minutes whilst Glen MacKintosh scored a crucial second a minute before the break with his shot taking a deflection past Paul MacKay in the Fort goal. Gary Innes collected a Daniel Stewart pass and beat Michael Ritchie to make it 2-1 within a minute of the restart but ’More stayed in front to win the game and they now trail leaders Kyles Athletic by two points with the sides still to meet at Tighnabruaich. The defeat may well spell the end of Fort William’s title challenge. Kilmallie 3 Kyles Athletic 6 Kyles Athletic capitalised on Fort William’s slip-up and returned to the top of the table with an impressive 6-3 win over Kilmallie at the Canal Parks. The home side were without the suspended Peter Carmichael who served the final game of his three match suspension. Kyles captain Dunkie Kerr led by example when he beat Kevin Toye to make it 1-0. Roddy MacDonald was the toast of Tighnabruaich last weekend as he scored the goal which won the Artemis Macaulay Cup Final and he put his side 2-0 in front. Michael Rodger gave Kilmallie hope when he pulled a goal back but Roddy MacDonald added his second to restore his team’s two goal advantage and Dunkie Kerr’s second made it 4-1. Kyles’ wing centre Robbie MacLeod scored to make it 5-1 before Roddy MacDonald completed his hat-trick. Goals from Kilmallie’s Peter McIntyre and Liam MacDonald reduced the deficit to make the final score 6-3 in the visitors’ favour. Michael Rodger was sent off by referee Colin MacDonald. There was more misfortune for Kilmallie as John Stewart picked up a hand injury in the game which was later diagnosed as a broken thumb and he will likely mean the end of his season. Inveraray 5 Kingussie 7 Inveraray fought hard to win two important points to aid their relegation battle when they beat Kingussie 7-5 at the Winterton. Andrew MacMurdo was suspended for the home side following his red card against Newtonmore a fortnight ago. Kingussie had Ronald Ross and Ryan Borthwick back from suspension and they were boosted by Ally MacLeod and Louis Munro’s return from injury the previous weekend. However Thomas Borthwick missed out thanks to a knock picked up playing football but he is not thought to be a long-term absentee. Grant Griffin put the home side ahead on 21 minutes but Paul Gow made it 1-1 just 4 minutes later. Russell McKinlay netted on the half hour mark to put the home side ahead again and Inveraray took this lead into the break. Neil Campbell made it 3-1 a couple of minutes into the second but a 3 minute Ronald Ross double on 54 and 56 minutes squared the game at 3-3. Grant Griffin and Russell McKinlay netted again on 62 and 70 minutes to put Inveraray 5-3 up before Griffin completed his hat-trick a couple of minutes later to make it 6-3. Kingussie fought back though and Ronald Ross completed his hat-trick 5 minutes from time and Lee Bain made it 6-5 just 60 seconds later. However Inveraray had the final say as Russell McKinlay completed his hat-trick a couple of minutes from time to seal a 7-5 win which clinched two vital points which puts Inveraray ahead of Lovat on goal difference and a point ahead of second bottom Oban Camanachd who have a couple games in hand. Glenorchy P Lovat P The match between Glenorchy and Lovat at Dalmally was postponed because of a bereavement. Marine Harvest North Division 1 Beauly 1 Kinlochshiel 3 Newly crowned champions Kinlochshiel maintained their 100% record with a 3-1 win over second place Beauly at Braeview Park. ‘Shiel were missing six players who played the full 90 minutes against Skye Camanachd last weekend including Mark MacDonald and John MacRae. Finlay MacRae scored twice for the champions whilst his brother Keith MacRae got the other. David MacLean replied for Beauly. Kinlochshiel can now go through the league with a 100% record if they beat Lochaber in their final game at Spean Bridge next weekend. The only sour note for ‘Shiel was a knock to the mouth suffered by Graham MacRae which required a trip to Raigmore Hospital. Lochcarron 3 Lochaber 6 Lochaber came back from 3-1 down to beat Lochcarron 6-3 at Braeview Park. Lochcarron boss Andrew MacKenzie had forward Gregor Cushnie available whilst Lochaber manager Michael Delaney was without forward Lachlan Campbell who will miss the rest of the season with a broken bone in his ankle. Delaney also gave youth its chance with U17 players Danny Delaney, Brennan MacDonald and Jack Dignan starting in defence. Lochcarron started the game well and veteran Ian MacKenzie put them ahead after 5 minutes. Gregor Cushnie added a second 4 minutes later and when David Cameron made it 3-0 on 36 points, the home side looked set to pick up another two points. However a Ben Delaney goal on the stroke of half time and whatever boss Delaney said to his players at the interval revitalised the side. Ben Delaney bagged his second on 59 minutes and a Stuart Callison goal 10 minutes later made it 3-3. Lochaber went ahead for the first time a minute later when Ben Delaney completed his hat-trick. Scottish international Shaun Nicolson made it 5-3 0n 79 minutes and Scott Patterson added his name to the score-sheet 60 seconds later to seal a 6-3 win which lifts the Spean Bridge side above Beauly into second place in the league. Marine Harvest South Division 1 Bute 3 Glasgow Mid Argyll 1 Bute clinched the Marine Harvest South Division 1 title and promotion to shinty’s top flight with a 3-1 victory over an under-strength Glasgow Mid Argyll on Rothesay. The visitors were without several regulars including former Skye Camanachd player Ben Simmister whilst former Kinlochshiel player Paul Creighton started in goal. Indeed they were forced to include some players who played in the morning reserve clash between the sides. Mid Argyll took the lead through Mark Bain on 7 minutes but their hopes were dashed when Robert Walker levelled 10 minutes later. Robert Walker got his second on 61 minutes and Robert Ferguson made it 3-1 on 67 minutes to clinch a 3-1 win and spark celebrations amongst the Islanders support. Bute now add the league title to the Balliemore Cup won earlier in the season. Ballachulish 2 Lochside Rovers 0 Lochside Rovers’ recent performances put them in with a chance of nicking second place in the league but they went down 2-0 Ballachulish. Willie Sutherland’s Ballachulish team hadn’t had a game for three weeks and this was both sides penultimate game of the season. Lochside Rovers scored seven goals against Aberdour last weekend with David Devine and Malcolm Clark each getting a hat-trick. However this was Ballachulish’s day with Duncan MacDonald scoring on 35 and 40 minutes to win the game. Kyles Athletic 2 Taynuilt 4 Third bottom Kyles Athletic lost 4-2 to fourth top Taynuilt at Tighnabruaich. David Martin put the home side ahead on 10 minutes but Stewart Scott scored on 20 and 25 minutes to put the visitors 2-1 in front. Michael MacQueen made it 3-1 on 29 minutes at Taynuilt took this leaf into the break. Scott Burnett made it 4-1 on the hour mark and although Roddy MacColl scored or Kyles 15 minutes from the end to make it 4-2, Taynuilt returned home with the points. Aberdour 6 Kilmory 0 The bottom two sides met in Fife and Aberdour came out on top with a 6-0 win over Kilmory. Doug Newsom scored a first half hat-trick for Aberdour with goals on 3, 24 and 30 minutes and this, along with a 17 minute effort from Cameron McCue, gave Aberdour a 4-0 lead at half time. Cameron McCue notched his second just 4 minutes into the second half and a Ross Nicol strike on 77 minutes rounded off a 6-0 victory. Marine Harvest North Division 2 Newtonmore 3 Fort William 3 The match of the day in Marine Harvest North Division 2 was the 12 noon throw up between Newtonmore and Fort William at the Eilan. This game preceded the top division clash between the club’s senior sides and it proved to be an entertaining affair. Michael Russell missed out for the home side as he was sent off in the Strathdearn Cup semi final win against Fort William a fortnight ago. Ewan Campbell was out for Fort William as he was sent off in the same game. The first half was goalless but the sides shared six second half goals. Jack Fraser put the Fort ahead after 50 minutes but Chris Sellar made it 1-1 just 3 minutes later. Josh McGhee put the visitors in front again on 65 minutes but Connor Jones made it 2-2 just 5 minutes later. Evan Menzies put Newtonmore in front for the first time in the game on 81 minutes but a Bobby MacMillan strike 2 minutes from time earned Victor Smith’s side a share of the points. Lochaber 1 Kinlochshiel 3 Kinlochshiel won two crucial points with a 3-1 victory over Lochaber at Spean Bridge. The home side were convincing winners over Skye Camanachd last weekend. ‘Shiel’s Colin MacDiarmid served the final match of a three game ban but Colin Fraser’s side was boosted by the inclusion of Mark MacDonald and John MacRae. Allan MacDiarmid, Oliver MacRae and Scott Kennedy were on target for ‘Shiel whilst Keith Neville replied for Lochaber. Skye Camanachd 2 Kingussie 0 Skye Camanachd put the disappointment of last week’s poor showing against Lochaber behind them as they beat Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup winners Kingussie 2-0 at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree, Click on the following link to read a full match report (link to follow) Glengarry P Lovat P The match between Glengarry and Lovat at Invergarry was postponed because of a bereavement. Marine Harvest South Division 2 Bute 5 Glasgow Mid Argyll 0 Third place Bute beat second bottom Bute 5-0 in their 12 noon throw up on Rothesay. Alistair Carmichael, Neil McKirdy, Tom MacMillan and a Stuart Stirling brace counted for the Islanders who are unbeaten at home in the league this season. This match completes the full Marine Harvest South Division 2 programme. Marine Harvest North Division 3 Boleskine 8 Lewis Camanachd 0 Boleskine were too strong for Lewis Camanachd as they won 8-0 before the BBC Alba cameras at Smith Park. The TV station has been following the Islanders maiden season in the league and this was both teams’ final league fixture. Iain Grant grabbed a hat-trick for Boleskine whilst Lewis will be delighted to have completed a full league programme which should give them a strong case for league inclusion next season. |