East Side Resist West Side Fight-back To Retain Uist New Year Challenge Cup. | |
04 January 2011 East Side retained the Uist New Year Challenge Cup with a 6-3 victory over West Side in a clash on Friday 31 December 2010 which was much closer than the final score-line suggests. The game brought together two of the best and most evenly matched teams to have competed for the trophy since the Challenge commenced four years ago. The West Side went on the attack from the throw up with Eoghain McIsaac and Angus MacIntosh shooting just wide of the mark on several occasions. However despite this early pressure, it was the East Side who opened the scoring when Lee Thompson scrambled the ball over the line. Both keepers - Connor MacDonald and Iain MacLeod - had to work hard to keep the score-line down, with full centres Steven Morrison and Duncan MacRae evenly matched in the middle of the park. East Side then increased their lead when Jonathan MacDonald knocked the ball over the goal line to make it 2-0. This seemed to energise the West side, with Keith MacDonald having to tightly mark Angus MacIntosh to maintain East Side’s two goal advantage until the half-time whistle. Half time team changes for the East Side saw Lee Thompson moved to face the increasingly dangerous Duncan MacRae at centre with Ewen Campbell moving to midfield from defence. The East Side increased their lead at the start of the second half with an early goal from Jonathan MacDonald which made it 3-0. East Side kept up the pressure and Connor MacDonald was forced to pull off some impressive saves to keep his side in the game. West Side defender Angie Ferguson was also a vital player for his side with some determined defending. The West Side finally found the net when Angus MacIntosh fired past Calum MacDonald, who had replaced Iain MacLeod in goals. The East Side swiftly replied when a low drive from Lee Thompson put them 4-1 ahead. Action then moved back to the other end of the field when West Side were awarded a penalty. A well struck spot hit from Harry Luney was well saved by Calum MacDonald but Mark MacInnes was on hand to take advantage of the rebound and reduce the deficit to 4-2. The West Side made some positional changes which seemed to further boost their dominance at this stage in the game. Duncan MacRae moved up to wing forward with Alasdair Ferguson dropping back to full centre, where he was unlucky not to score from a terrific long-range shot which whistled just wide of the goal. The West Side then reduced the deficit to a single goal when a strike from Duncan MacRae, who was proving to be a constant threat in his new wing forward position, made it 4-3. West Side had the momentum and looked likely to level the score. However their comeback was halted when Ewen Campbell hit a clean strike into the back of the net to put East Side 5-3 in front. Campbell then notched his second goal of the game when he took the ball past two defenders before finishing to make it 6-3 in East Side’s favour. There was no further scoring so East Side captain Lee Thompson lifted the trophy. This is East Side’s third victory in four years. As well as securing victory for the East Side with a late double, Ewen Campbell’s overall performance both in defence and midfield earned him the man of the match award. Uist Camanachd now look well prepared for an eventful shinty season in 2011 which will see their seniors take on Lewis Camanachd in both the Heb Celt Cup and the Mod Cup. Uist Camanachd will also take part in the Camanachd Association’s new Development League where their opponents could include Kinlochbervie, Navar and Strathspey and maybe even Lewis Camanachd if they decide against competing in Marine Harvest North Division 3. Uist Camanachd will also take part in various U17 and U14 games throughout the 2011 shinty season. If the level of skill and enthusiasm witnessed on Hogmanay is anything to go by, then they could well prove to be a team to watch. |