Skye Camanachd U17 won the 2011 MacTavish Juvenile Cup with a 4-0 victory over holders Lochaber U17 at the Bught Park, Inverness on Saturday 18 June 2011.
Skye were without forward Will Cowie who broke his thumb in the London Shield win over Glenurquhart U17 earlier in the week when he scored all four goals in the young Islanders 4-1 win. Angie MacPherson came into the forward line in place of Cowie and Skye were otherwise at full strength.
Skye’s first real chance came early in the game. They were awarded a free-hit 20 yards from goal for a foul on Magnus Burd by his marker, Jack Dignan. Jordan Murchison played the free-hit toAndrewGrantand his back-hand shot went just past keeper Callum MacDonald’s right post.
Skye went close again when Iain Grant won possession from a Lochaber free-hit. He found Chris MacLennan who found Jordan Murchison and his neat pass sent Shaun Hedley racing towards goal. However Hedley’s effort went wide of target.
Skye threatened again from a Mark Mortimer corner on the left. He played a short corner to Jordan Murchison and when the ball was cleared, it came back to Mortimer and his back-handed shot rose just over the bar.
Lochaber keeper Callum MacDonald had to look lively to clear the danger from Magnus Burd after Mark Mortimer had played the ball into the D following good work from Shaun Hedley.
Skye took the lead on 15 minutes. Chris MacLennan won the ball in midfield and Shaun Hedley fedAndrewGranton the Skye right. Grant’s ball into the middle was left by both Magnus Burd and Jordan Murchison and it ran to Angie MacPherson who slipped a pass to Murchison, left of goal. Murchison’s initial shot was blocked by Jack Dignan but the Skye forward wasn’t to be denied as he fired the rebound low into the back of the net.
Skye almost increased their lead when Chris MacLennan set up Jordan Murchison and his low back-hand shot came off keeper Callum MacDonald’s left post.
Skye keeper Iain MacLeod did well to keep out a Scott Knox effort with his feet and Stuart Matheson was unable to force the rebound over the line.
MacLeod had to look lively to save from Knox again and he cleared the ball for a corner as Lochaber looked to come more into the game.
Jordan Murchison looked a threat every time the ball reached him and he twice went close as he spread the Lochaber defence first to the left and then to the right.
Chris MacLennan and Magnus Burd played a one-two from a corner on the right. MacLennan played the ball toAndrewGrantand his snap-shot was saved with his feet by keeper MacDonald who cleared for the safety of a corner.
The final chance of the half fell to Lochaber when the Skye defence failed to deal with a long ball and a Stuart Matheson shot rose just over the bar.
A good challenge from Stevie MacKinnon prevented Duncan MacKinnon from getting a shot on goal. Ally MacLeod cleared the danger from the resultant corner.
Callum MacDonald had to be quick on his toes to foil a Skye move involving Magnus Burd andAndrewGrant.
Good battling from Magnus Burd on the Skye left created a shooting opportunity for himself but his shot went over the bar.
Ally MacLeod broke up a Lochaber attack and played the ball to Chris MacLennan who found substitute Calum Gibb on the Skye left. He passed to Magnus Burd at the edge of the D but Callum MacDonald came off his line to foil the Skye full forward.
As the rain got heavier, MacDonald again denied Burd from a Skye corner on the right as the Islanders pressed for a second goal. The keeper stopped the ball with his feet and played it out for another corner.
This time Chris MacLennan played a deeper corner which ran across the face of the Lochaber goal before Jordan Murchison crashed a great back-hand shot over keeper MacDonald’s shoulder to put Skye 2-0 in front with 61 minutes played.
Skye’s third goal came just 4 minutes later and it was a great individual effort by Magnus Burd. Mark Mortimer found Shaun Hedley and he played a high ball forward to Jordan Murchison. He took the ball down and spread it to the right wing where Burd collected possession before feigning to shoot but instead he flicked the ball past his marker and ran in on goal before lifting a brilliant shot over keeper MacDonald into the net to the delight of his team-mates.
MacDonald denied Murchison his hat-trick when he blocked the Skye youngster’s effort after the Lochaber defence were unable to clear their lines.
However Murchison was not to be denied and he scored a fantastic third goal on 70 minutes to complete his hat-trick. Chris MacLennan hit a good shy from the right, mid-way in the Lochaber half. Andrew Grant knocked the ball on and Magnus Burd slipped it to Jordan Murchison and he ran across the Lochaber back-line, evading three challenges, before sending a one-handed shot on his back-hand, low into the net to make it 4-0.
A good challenge from Jack Dignan denied Murchison his fourth following a through-ball from Calum Gibb.
Best for a good Skye outfit were hat-trick hero Jordan Murchison, Shaun Hedley and Ally MacLeod.
Skye Camanachd U17 captain was presented with the MacTavish Juvenile Cup by Camanachd Association Youth Director Callum Duff.
Skye Camanachd U17 from; Iain MacLeod, Iain Grant, Ruairidh Morrison, Steven MacKinnon, Alasdair MacLeod, Chris MacLennan, Shaun Hedley (captain), Mark Mortimer, Jordan Murchison, Andrew Grant, Angie MacPherson, Magnus Burd subs Calum Gibb, Stephen Murchison, Ian MacPherson
Lochaber U17 from; Callum MacDonald, Jack Dignan, Iain Fyffe, Grant Matheson, Barry MacDonald, Ryan Johnstone, Pat Toal (captain), Callum Fraser, Duncan MacKinnon, Kirsty Delaney, Stuart Matheson, Scott Knox subs Paul MacDonald Wotherspoon, Connor MacCallum, Findlay MacDonald, Ryan Latto, Shane Latto
Match Referee - David Mitchell