The Shinty Round Up – Saturday 1 October 2011. | |
05 October 2011 There was a crucial day’s shinty at the bottom of the Scottish Hydro Premier Division on Saturday 1 October 2011. Scottish Hydro Premier DivisionKyles Athletic P Newtonmore P There was disappointment all round as the match of the day between league leaders Kyles Athletic and reigning champions Newtonmore was postponed because the pitch at Tighnabruaich was unplayable. Lovat 3 Kingussie 4 Lovat were desperately unlucky not to take something from their game against Kingussie to Balgate. The game came too early for Lovat’s Fraser Gallacher who has been unwell for several weeks but Drew Howie made a welcome return from injury as a substitute for the final 15 minutes of the game. Kingussie were without several regulars as injury ruled out Iain Borthwick, Lee Bain and Paul Gow whilst Thomas Borthwick and Ryan Borthwick were on holiday. Craig Dawson has now taken over fromAndrewBorthwick as Kings first team keeper and there was a starting place for 15 year old Rory MacGregor who scored against Glenorchy the previous weekend. The home side were desperate to take at least a point from the game and they led twice in the first half. Greg Matheson put them ahead within a minute of the throw up but a James Hutchison shot deceived home keeper Stuart MacDonald to square the game a couple of minutes later. Greg Matheson restored Lovat’s lead on 18 minutes but Ronald Ross latched onto a poor clearance 10 minutes later to make it 2-2 at the break. Barrie Dallas put Kingussie ahead for the first time in the game when he made it 3-2 a minute into the second half. However Lovat fought back and Euan Ferguson netted after 54 minutes. Lovat looked to have with-stood the Kingussie pressure and earn a valuable point but Ronald Ross struck just 5 minutes from time to make it 4-3 and take the points back to the Dell. Lovat are currently fighting it out with Inveraray and Oban Camanachd to escape relegation from shinty’s top flight and they have still to play away to both Glenorchy and Kilmallie. Their match at Glenorchy this weekend comes into the “must win” category. Glenorchy 0 Inveraray 5 Inveraray go seventh with a 5-0 win over Glenorchy at Mart Park, Dalmally. Chris Crawford got the visitors off to the best possible start when he scored in the opening minute. Garry MacPherson made it 2-0 with a goal on 7 minutes and the Inveraray talisman went on to complete his hat-trick with strikes on 40 and 70 minutes. Chris Crawford got his second a couple of minutes later to complete a 5-0 win. This was a crucial win game for Inveraray who now go a point ahead of Oban Camanachd and two points ahead of Lovat. However the Winterton men’s final league game is a difficult trip to the Eilan to play Newtonmore. Oban Camanachd 1 Glenurquhart 3 Oban Camanachd were unable to give their chances of survival a real boost when they went down 3-1 in their Mossfield meeting with Glenurquhart. The Glen hadn’t been in action since they beat Inveraray 3-0 on Saturday 6 August 2010 whilst Oban Camanachd had played on two of the last three weekends. The visitors resources were stretched and they travelled south with just 13 players so their management team of Jim Barr and Drew McNeil took up places on the substitutes bench. Glenurquhart full forward John Barr scored the only goal of the first half on 25 minutes in a bruising battle. Neale Reid netted on 61minutes to make it 2-0. Oban Camanachd’s counter was a Scott MacMillan penalty when referee Dunkie Kerr penalised keeper Stuart MacKintosh. John Barr got his second a minute from time and the Blairbeg side remains in contention for a fourth place finish. Marine Harvest South Division 1Taynuilt 2 Bute 5 A Roberto Zavaroni double helped championsButeto a 5-2 win in their penultimate game of the season at Taynuilt. However the Islanders were made to fight all the way by a Taynuilt side which took the lead on 10 minutes thanks to a good shot from Stuart Scott. Roberto Zavaroni took a David Whitelaw pass to make it 1-1 just 5 minutes later and the sides went into the break all-square. Bute captain John MacCallum put his side ahead with a 55 minute effort when he ran through unmarked but Stuart Scott made it 2-2 just 4 minutes later following a goalmouth scramble. Bute’s 100% record was under threat but their superior fitness told in the end with late goals from Robert Walker on 80 minutes, Roberto Zavaroni’s second strike of the afternoon 5 minutes later and substitute Ruairidh Soane’s first senior goal 3 minutes from time which sealed a 5-2 victory. However Taynuilt will reflect on a successful season in which their fourth place finish means they will compete in the 2012 Artemis Macaulay Cup competition. Glasgow Mid Argyll 7 Oban Celtic 2 Second place Glasgow Mid Argyll beat sixth place Oban Celtic 7-2 at Yoker in both side’s final match of the season. A Craig Anderson double helped Mid Argyll to a narrow 4-3 win when the sides met earlier in the season and the Scotland U17 striker grabbed a hat-trick in this one. Euan Forsyth put the home side ahead after 6 minutes and Ben Simmister doubled their advantage a couple of minutes later. Craig Anderson opened his account on 20 minutes whilst Patrick Jamieson gave Mid Argyll a 4-0 interval advantage with a strike a couple of minutes from half time. Craig Anderson scored his second on 50 minutes before Kenny Wotherspoon netted for Oban Celtic just 2 minutes later. Craig Anderson completed his hat-trick on 57 minutes to make it 6-1. Angus MacIntosh scored theGlasgowside’s seventh goal of the game on 65 minutes although Gary McKerracher pulled another goal back for the visitors 5 minutes from time. It wasn’t to be Craig Anderson’s last hat-trick of the weekend as he also scored three times as the South U17s beat their North counter-parts 4-3 at Mossfield, Oban the following day. Kyles Athletic 3 Kilmory 1 The 12 noon throw up between third bottom Kyles Athletic and second bottom Kilmory was switched to Strachur as Tighnabruaich was unplayable. David Martin put Kyles Athletic ahead on the half hour mark but Scott Sinclair ensured the sides went into the break with a strike 5 minutes later. David Martin got his second on the hour mark and Gordon Whyte completed a 3-1 win with a goal 5 minutes from time. The win means Kyles will finish the season in sixth place. Marine Harvest North Division 2Kilmallie 1 Glenurquhart 1 Kilmallie are relegated to Marine Harvest North Division 3 following their 1-1 draw with Glenurquhart at the Canal Parks. Kilmallie needed to beat Glenurquhart and take something from their final game at Kinlochshiel to survive the drop at the expense of opponents Glenurquhart but a late Liam Girvan goal sealed their fate. Glenurquhart, who have won the league for the last two seasons, simply needed to avoid defeat to preserve their place in the league. With no first team game, Kilmallie were boosted by the inclusion of Kevin Toye in goal and Peter McIntyre in attack. Glenurquhart keeper Garry MacKintosh returned from suspension and Liam Girvan was also included. Kilmallie had the best chances of the first half as referee John Angus Gillies awarded them two penalties. Sebastian MacMillan put the first past the post and Brian MacKay saw his effort saved by Garry MacKintosh. After a goalless first half, Peter McIntyre gave Kilmallie hope with a goal 3 minutes into the second period. However a Liam Girvan strike 4 minutes from time means Kilmallie and not Glenurquhart will drop out of the league. Kilmallie were left to rue a third missed penalty as Garry MacKintosh blocked Mark Graham’s spot-hit in injury time. Skye Camanachd 5 Glengarry 1 David Grant and Danny Morrison netted twice as Skye Camanachd rounded off their season with a 5-1 win over Glengarry at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree. Iain MacLellan got the other home goal whilst Steven Cameron was on target for the visitors. Click on the following link to read the match report in full (link to follow) |