Skye Camanachd 2 Kinlochshiel 3. | |
21 June 2010 Skye Camanachd are out of the Balliemore Cup after going down 3-2 to Kinlochshiel in their semi final at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 19 June 2010. Skye Camanachd first team manager Aonghas MacDonald made one change to his starting line up from the win over Lochaber a fortnight ago. The injured Jamie MacDonald missed out whilst Dougie Rankin returned to the side. AB Connor, Allan MacKinnon and Neil MacVicar came back into the squad and started on the bench whilst Ally MacLennan dropped out of the squad. Steven Morrison was switched from full back to buckshee back to snuff out the threat posed by Shiel’s Finlay MacRae. Shiel were missing long term absentees Crisdean MacRae and Calum MacLean. Skye started brightly and within a couple of minutes, Somhairle MacDonald turned Paul MacRae but his shot flew just wide of the junction between post and crossbar. Kenny Campbell shot wide a minute later following good lead up play between Danny Morrison and Somhairle MacDonald. Somhairle MacDonald was allowed space on the right to pick his spot after 18 minutes but Graham Kennedy in the Shiel goal saved well to his right. Shiel’s David Falconer blasted a shot goalwards on 20 minutes but Skye defender Allan MacLeod stopped the ball in the air with his stick and the ball was cleared for a corner. The corner from the left seemed to catch the Skye defence napping which gave Keith MacRae the chance to nip in just in front of goal but Jamie Gannon spread himself to make a miraculous point blank save. Kinlochshiel were starting to press and a Keith MacRae shot was on target before John Moir deflected the ball for a corner. Skye had a chance to take the lead on 32 minutes when a free hit from midfield was knocked down into the path of Danny Morrison but his shot whistled just the wrong side of the post. Jamie Gannon made another fantastic point blank stop from Keith MacRae after 36 minutes following good lead up play from Finlay MacRae. Shiel’s Paul MacRae was penalised on 41 minutes for a swing which caught Somhairle MacDonald across the ankles. The resultant free hit from the right was cleared the by Shiel defence. However Alan Palmer regained possession and beat his marker before running in on goal. He was blocked just as he reached the D. The ball broke to Kenny Campbell who turned his opposite number but shot wide of the goal. Kinlochshiel responded immediately and a free hit cause chaos in the Skye defence with Allan MacLeod having to clear the ball off the goal line. There was just enough time for Finlay MacRae to shoot wide from a corner before referee John MacPhee blew his whistle for half time. Shiel defender Mark MacDonald blocked a run from Skye’s Kenny Campbell in the opening minute of the second half and then John Moir had to make a brilliant block to save Skye at the other end. If the first half contained everything but goals, the large crowd didn’t half to wait too long into the second period for the missing ingredient to arrive in abundance. Keith MacRae ran off his marker on 48 minutes and his turn and low shot gave Gannon no chance and put the visitors 1-0 ahead. Worse was to follow for Skye just a couple of minutes later. A Finlay MacRae shot was saved by Gannon but John MacRae followed up to tuck the rebound into the net and give his side a 2-0 advantage. Skye got themselves back into the game after 52 minutes when a long ball down the middle wasn’t dealt with by the Shiel defence and Kenny Campbell scrambled the ball over the line to make it 2-1. Shiel regained their advantage within a couple of minutes when full centre Steven Callander burst forward from midfield. His run wasn’t tracked and when John MacRae missed a swipe at the ball, Callander drilled a shot into the net to make it 3-1. Even following 4 goals in just 7 minutes, the pace showed little sign of letting up. Skye introduced Iain Morrison at wing centre in place of Danny Morrison and it wasn’t long before the move paid off. 17 year old Morrison has made a scoring impact in most of his first team opportunities this season and this was no exception. Morrison played a one-two with Somhairle MacDonald before beating Kennedy to his left to make it 3-2. Skye had a let-off on 75 minutes when a deep ball dropped to Keith MacRae but he shot wide of goal. Kenny Campbell won possession a minute later and his run and shot ended up with Kennedy saving with his feet before clearing the ball for a corner. Somhairle MacDonald came deep on 77 minutes but his shot was saved with his stick by Kennedy as Skye tried desperately to level the game. Manager Aonghas MacDonald came on in place of Alan Palmer on 80 minutes and took over the full forward position with Somhairle MacDonald moving to wing forward. Shiel almost increased their advantage on 83 minutes when Keith MacRae and Finlay MacRae combined but Gannon saved with his feet and Allan MacLeod cleared the danger. There was late drama with just a couple of minutes remaining when Skye were awarded a penalty for a kick in the area. Dougie Rankin stepped forward to take it. His first effort came back off the post but referee MacPhee ordered a retake as he hadn’t blown for the hit to be taken. Rankin’s second effort was low and hard but Graham Kennedy saved well with his legs. As Skye charged at the rebound, Gilleasbuig MacDonald knocked the ball into the net but the home support was left frustrated when his effort was ruled out for offside. Skye’s chance to take the tie into extra time was gone and Kinlochshiel will now face the winners of the tie between Lochaber and Kilmallie in next month’s final. Skye Camanachd from; Jamie Gannon, John Moir, Iain Nicolson, Allan MacLeod, Steven Morrison (captain), Gilleasbuig MacDonald, Dougie Rankin, Kerr Gibb, Kenny Campbell, Alan Palmer, (Aonghas MacDonald), Danny Morrison, (Iain Morrison), Somhairle MacDonald, subs AB Connor, Allan MacKinnon, Neil MacVicar, not used Match Referee – John MacPhee The match balls were sponsored by Nor-Dan |