Skye Camanachd 1 Kinlochshiel 5. | |
30 May 2010 Skye Camanachd’s North Division 1 title chances suffered a blow when they lost 5-1 to neighbours Kinlochshiel at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 29 May 2010. Skye Camanachd first team manager Aonghas MacDonald made 2 changes to the starting line up from last week’s win over Kilmallie. Jamie MacDonald missed out through suspension and Iain Morrison returned to second team duty. Alan Palmer and Allan MacKinnon started in attack whilst A B Connor dropped back into defence. Kinlochshiel joint managers Keith Loades and Johnston Gill were without the suspended John MacRae but Zander Grant was on the bench, his first inclusion in the senior squad for 4 weeks. They also gave a first starting place to 17 year old striker David Falconer. Shiel attacked Skye from the throw up. Finlay MacRae charged down an Iain Nicolson clearance and burst forward. He played in his brother Keith MacRae and he crossed low to David Falconer who fired a glorious drive, high past Jamie Gannon to give Shiel the lead. Skye responded and after 3 minutes, Dougie Rankin and Alan Palmer linked up with Palmer shooting into the side netting. Shockie MacLennan did well to keep the ball in on the right touchline after 9 minutes and he drove the ball forward to Dougie Rankin who set up a chance for Somhairle MacDonald but Graham Kennedy saved his shot. A Kinlochshiel shy from the left caused Skye problems after 18 minutes. The ball fell to Keith MacRae who ran across goal before firing a bullet shot into the net to make it 2-0. Worse was to follow just 2 minutes later. Skye keeper Jamie Gannon was short with a clearance and Neil Fraser took advantage to tuck the ball loose over the line. Skye manager Aonghas MacDonald was forced to switch his team around just moments later as Iain Nicolson had to be withdrawn with a recurrence of a hamstring problem. Shockie MacLennan went to buckshee back, Gilleasbuig MacDonald to wing centre, Kenny Campbell to full centre, AB Connor into attack and substitute John Moir took up the wing back position. A good Skye move on 25 minutes came close to getting the home side back into the game. Shockie MacLennan passed to Gilleasbuig MacDonald who found Alan Palmer. Palmer moved the ball forward to Dougie Rankin who slipped a pass to Somhairle MacDonald but he shot over with Rankin looking for a return pass. The changes seemed to have revitalised Skye and an Alan Palmer run down the right and cut back found AB Connor but he shot wide of Kennedy’s right post. A 29 minute foul on Dougie Rankin saw the Skye full forward take the free hit himself. He nudged the ball to Somhairle MacDonald who shot just over the bar. Aonghas MacDonald had another injury problem and positional change to deal with after 34 minutes. Shockie MacLennan collided with a Shiel player and required treatment from Skye medic Dr Wilson Banks. The player left the field and required an x-ray on his collar bone. Allan MacKinnon came on in his place with Gilleasbuig MacDonald dropping back to buckshee back. Kenny Campbell moved to wing centre and Dougie Rankin took over the full centre role Skye pulled a goal back on 37 minutes and it was a brilliant solo effort from Kenny Campbell. There seemed little danger when Campbell collected the ball on the right of midfield. He skipped past his marker before running down the right. He brushed off four separate challenges on his way towards the goal and just before he reached the D he knocked the ball past Kennedy to make it 3-1. Skye almost reduced the deficit to a single goal a couple of minutes later. Allan MacKinnon crossed from the left but AB Connor just failed to make contact, under pressure from a Shiel defender. Skye started the second half strongly and Kennedy had to look sharp to save with his legs from Kenny Campbell after another good run and the ball was cleared for a corner. Shiel came close to increasing their lead on 58 minutes when a Neil Fraser shot flashed past the post. However they went 4-1 up on the hour mark. An Ian MacDonald shy from the right fell to Finlay MacRae who turned his man and gave Gannon no chance with a fierce drive. Jamie Gannon made a wonderful save from a Finlay MacRae shot moments later, diving to his right to tip the ball over the bar. Danny Morrison came on for Allan MacKinnon after 63 minutes as Skye tried to find that cutting edge up front. It went from bad to worse for Skye on 79 minutes. Shiel substitute Zander Grant floated a corner in from the right which evaded Jamie Gannon. Gilleasbuig MacDonald stopped the ball but as he tried to clear make a clearance, the ball bobbled over the goal line to make it 5-1. There was more injury concern for Skye when Kenny Campbell received an accidental blow to the ankle on 86 minutes. He was carried from the field and again required an x-ray to assess the damage. Shiel’s Neil Fraser pulled up moments later with a hamstring problem leaving both sides to finish a game a man short. The victory increases Shiel’s advantage at the top of the table to 2 points and confirmed their status as the form team in the league at the moment. . The big games keep coming for Skye and the Islanders have little time to feel sorry for themselves as Lochaber visit Pairc nan Laoch next weekend. Skye Camanachd from; Jamie Gannon, Steven Morrison (captain), AB Connor, Allan MacLeod, Ian Nicolson, (John Moir), Shockie MacLennan, (Allan MacKinnon), (Danny Morrison), Gilleasbuig MacDonald, Kerr Gibb, Kenny Campbell, Alan Palmer, Somhairle MacDonald, Dougie Rankin, sub Aonghas MacDonald (not used) Match Referee – Russell Ross The match balls were sponsored by Nor-Dan. |