The new shinty season started on Saturday 5 March 2011.
Scottish Hydro Premier Division
Scottish Hydro Premier Division champions Newtonmore opened the defence of their title with an impressive 6-2 victory over Inveraray at the Winterton. A Danny MacRae hat-trick helped Newtonmore to a 4-0 win at the same venue last season and MacRae rose from his sick-bed after a bout of flu to play an important role in this game too. Inveraray keeper Graeme MacPherson made a surprise return in goal but he could do little to stop an early MacRae brace on 15 and 16 minutes whilst a Steven MacDonald strike made it 3-0 on 37 minutes. Inveraray’s Stuart Robertson pulled a goal back 60 seconds before the break but ‘More midfielder Paul MacArthur made it 4-1 on the stroke of half time. Danny MacRae completed his hat-trick on the hour mark before taking a well-earned break. Neil Campbell pulled another goal back for the home side 5 minutes later but a Glen MacKintosh strike just before the final whistle gave Norman MacArthur’s team both points from a 6-2 win.
2010 runners-up Fort William hosted Glenurquhart at An Aird without the suspended trio of Adam Robertson, Liam McIntyre and John MacDonald. However Glenurquhart were far from full strength also. Peter McIntyre’s side got off to a good start when Gary Innes put them ahead after just 8 minutes. Bryan Simpson made it 2-0 on 24 minutes whilst Innes added his second from the penalty spot on 65 minutes.
Top division new boys Kilmallie started off the season with a home match at Canal Parks against Oban Camanachd. Kilmallie are favoured by many to adept well to life in the top flight. They still retain half the squad which took them to the 2005 Camanachd Cup Final and they showed plenty skill to get out of what was a tough Marine Harvest North Division 1 last season as well as narrowly losing out to Kingussie in the Co-operative MacTavish Cup Final. However Oban Camanachd caught them cold in this one with early strikes from Daniel MacIntyre and Lewis Cameron. John Stewart scored for Kilmallie but an Andrew MacCuish effort gave the visitors a 3-1 win in what at times was at times a fiery clash. Oban Camanachd will be delighted with such a positive start but things don’t get any easier for Kilmallie as visits to Badenoch to play Kingussie and Newtonmore beckon over the next fortnight.
Fellow new-comers Glenorchy played in the division’s only all-south match against Kyles Athletic at Tighnabruaich. Glenorchy’s chances of success this season took a severe blow when influential full back Alan McKechnie broke his foot playing football earlier in the week. Kyles Athletic are fancied by many for a good season and they proved to be too strong for Glenorchy in this one running up 8 goals without reply. Dunkie Kerr opened the scoring on 25 minutes whilst Fraser MacDonald made it 2-0 a couple of minutes later. Just another 2 minutes passed before Robbie MacLeod made it 3-0. David Zavaroni celebrated his return to the Kyles side by making it 4-0 on 34 minutes whilst Kerr added his second just 4 minutes from the break to give Kyles a 5-0 interval advantage. There was no further scoring until 5 minutes from time when a Thomas Whyte double on 85 and 87 minutes made it 7-0 whilst Dunkie Kerr completed his hat-trick a minute from time to make it 8-0.
Kingussie went through a transitional season in 2010 but still secured the Artemis Macaulay Cup and Co-operative MacTavish Cup as well as reaching the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final. They started the season against Lovat without some familiar faces including Barrie Dallas and John MacLean and injured captain Ronald Ross. There were also changes at Lovat with full back Martin Bell opting for second team shinty at Balgate and Calum Macaulay’s involvement is uncertain. Fraser Gallagher is another who has opted for second team shinty but their squad was boosted by the inclusion of former Skye Camanachd Scotland U21 cap Iain Nicolson whilst fellow international forward James MacPherson demonstrated his commitment by commuting from London to play. Indeed MacPherson forced a terrific save from King’s keeper Andrew Borthwick before some positional changes helped the home side take control. Paul Gow moved back from the attack to the centre line with Fraser Munro pushing forward to join the strikers. The move paid off 5 minutes from half time when Fraser Munro beat Stuart MacDonald in the Lovat goal to give his side the lead. Thomas Borthwick made it 2-0 a couple minutes before the break. Referee Graham Cormack awarded Kingussie a penalty on 53 minutes with the Lovat defenders claiming the offence took place outside the box. Young Ryan Borthwick despatched the spot-hit to make it 3-0. Tomas Borthwick added his second on 63 minutes to complete a 4-0 win.
Marine Harvest North Division 1
Kinlochshiel - with Johnston Gill in sole charge following co-manager Keith Loades decision to step down – made a good start to the season with a 3-1 win over Caberfeidh at Kirkton. Shiel have a strong squad to select from this season and a Keith MacRae double and a goal from Neil Fraser cancelled out Martin MacDonald’s goal to secure the home side’s 3-1 win
Beauly provided the result of the day in this division with a 2-1 win over Lochaber at Spean Bridge. Lochaber were without Neil MacDonald and Iain Love and they went behind to a Conor Ross goal on 25 minutes. Lochaber’s Shaun Nicolson levelled on 37 minutes. However a Jamie McLennan goal a minute into the second half gave Beauly a morale-boosting win.
Strathglass and Skye Camanachd started the season in the same way as they ended 2010 – with a meeting at Cannich which the home side won 2-0. Click on the following link to read a full match report Strathglass 2 Skye Camanachd 0
Inverness and Lochcarron met at the Bught Park, Inverness. Steve Munro was without two of his forwards from last season as Fraser Heath and Liam Girvan signed for Glenurquhart. However he wasted no time in brining in Fort William forward James Cameron and Lovat’s Jamie Matheson to bolster his attack. Andrew Slaughter looked to have given the visitors both points with a 9 minute goal. However James Cameron struck deep into injury time to earn Inverness a point.
Marine Harvest South Division 1
A Hector Whitelaw hat-trick and a Stuart Strathie goal meant recently relegated Bute got off to a great start with a 4-0 win at Aberdour.
Lochside Rovers secured a resounding 5-1 home win over Kilmory. Brian MacCallum gave Rovers a 6 minute lead and Winkie MacDougall added a second on 21 minutes. David Devine made it 3-0 on 35 minutes to give the home side a comfortable lead at the break. Alex Cunningham pulled a goal back on 75 minutes but David Lafferty made it 4-1 just 3 minutes later whilst Alex Dunnings completed the scoring on 82 minutes.
Alan Duffy gave Oban Celtic a 6 minute lead against Kyles Athletic in Oban. However Ally MacKay scored twice on 30 and 69 minutes and David Martin also notched a double on 55 and 65 minutes to give Kyles Athletic a 4-1 win.
Taynuilt scored 3 times at home to Ballachulish through David Campbell, Willie Neilson and Scott Turnbull. However goals from Scott Henderson, former Skye Camanachd player Dougie Rankin, Andy Young and Lorne Brown helped visitors Ballachulish to a 4-3 victory.
Glasgow Mid Argyll were not in action.
Marine Harvest North Division 2
The top game in the division was between Glenurquhart and Fort William at Blairbeg. The Glen were boosted by Lewis MacLennan’s inclusion in the side and he put them ahead after 12 minutes but Fort’s Michael Slezas made it 1-1 just 4 minutes later. The game swung from end to end and Billy Urquhart put the home side in front again with a 25 minute effort only for Ewen Campbell to level from the penalty spot a couple of minutes later. Daniel Stewart put Fort William ahead for the first time in the game on 36 minutes and his side took this lead into the break. Billy Urquhart added his second goal 5 minutes into the second half to make it 3-3 and a Gregor MacCormack goal on 63 minutes made it 4-3 in Glenurquhart’s favour. Fort William fought back again and Stewart got his second to make it 4-4 on 70 minutes and the game stayed that way until 6 minutes from time. Some power-play from Victor Smith’s side notched 3 goals in 4 minutes to win the game. Daniel Stewart completed his hat-trick on 84 minutes and Jack Fraser made it 6-4 a minute later. Michael Slezas scored his second 3 minutes from time to give Fort William a 7-4 win from a thoroughly entertaining match.
Duncan MacKinnon got newly promoted Lochaber off to a great start when his 28 minute strike put them 1-0 against Newtonmore at the Eilan. David Wylde made it all square on 35 minutes and Mark MacDonald put ‘More ahead a couple of minutes later. Orsten Gardner capped his return to the side when he gave Newtonmore a 3-1 advantage with a goal on 39 minutes. Wylde added his second on 48 minutes and Gardner got his second on 62 minutes to make it 5-1. David Wylde completed his hat-trick on 67 minutes and a Blair MacKintosh goal 10 minutes later gave Newtonmore an emphatic 7-1 opening day win.
A double from former Scotland international Steven Cameron on 7 ad 72 minutes helped Glengarry to a 3-1 win over Kinlochshiel at Invergarry. In-between times, Matthew Clark snatched a 10 minute goal for ‘Garry and Ian Fraser countered for Shiel on 37 minutes.
Former Lovat first team full back Martin Bell switched to the attack for the Kiltarlity sides home match against Kingussie. Bell scored twice on 18 and 54 minutes but four goals from veteran Kevin Thain on 15, 51, 60 and a 68 minute penalty as well as a 75 minutes Russell Menzies strike gave Kingussie a 5-2 win.
Skye Camanachd beat Kilmallie 3-1 at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree. Click on the following link to read a full match report
Marine Harvest South Division 2
John Slaughter put Inveraray ahead at Col Glen after just 10 minutes. Donald MacPhail scored for the home side after 20 minutes to make it 1-1.However a Preston Shuttleworth hat-trick on 38, 55 and 70 minutes helped Co Glen to a 4-1 win.
Doubles from MacNicol and Robertson and a MacDonald goal gave Strachur a 5-0 win over Ballachulish.
Goals from Stewart Stirling and Jamie MacDonald saw Bute and Tayforth share the points following a 1-1 draw.
The opening match of the shinty season saw Glasgow Mid Argyll put 11 goals past Aberdour in their early throw up. Ewan Forsyth, Gary Luke and Craig Anderson each scored hat-tricks whilst Ian Like and Elliot Moir got a goal apiece.
Marine Harvest North Division 3
Lewis Camanachd made a sensational start to life in the league when they took the lead through Calum Stomper in the opening minute of their game against Beauly at Braeview Park. The Islanders fought bravely and held onto their lead for an hour before David Groat made the break-through for the home side. A Calum Forbes double on 66 and 68 minutes made it 3-1. Young Calum Morrison added a fourth on 70 minutes and Conor Cormack, who was making a welcome return from injury, made it 5-1 in the final minute. However Lewis will take nothing from encouragement from their performance.
A double from Ian Grant gave Boleskine a 2-0 derby win over Inverness at Farr.
Lochcarron opened the season against Strathglass at Battery Park. The sides played last week for the John Stirling Cup with Lochcarron coming out on top and they eventually won this one too. Calum Fraser put Strathglass ahead at Battery Park and they held onto this lead until half time. However a hat-trick from veteran Gregor Cushnie on 50, 66 and 70 minutes added to a Robin Smith goal on 56 minutes gave Lochcarron a 4-1 victory.
Two of the title favourites, Caberfeidh and Aberdeen University, met at Castle Leod with the Students winning 3-0. All the goals came in the first half and Brian Slattery put Aberdeen ahead after 9 minutes and a double from former Skye Camanachd player Jamie Beaton on 15 and 26 minutes completed the scoring.
Ardnamurchan were unable to raise a team for their visit to Lochbroom.