The countdown continues ahead of the Artemis MacAulay Cup Final between Inveraray and Kinlochshiel at Mossfield on Saturday 3 September 2016.
Inveraray have had to beat three of the best teams in the South to reach this year’s final; with all three matches played away from the Winterton.
Artemis Macaulay Cup – First Round
Saturday 30 April 2016
Oban Camanachd 2 Inveraray 3
The surprise result of the Artemis MacAulay Cup first round was Oban Camanachd’s 3-2 defeat to Inveraray at Mossfield.
Oban Camanachd boss Iain Hay was without Daniel Cameron who was on his honeymoon. Andrew MacCuish recovered from a knock picked up in the team’s last outing against Col Glen.
Inveraray manager Ruaraidh Graham was a number of players short with David MacPherson, Nicholas Crawford, Douglas Dando, Grant Griffin and David Robertson all missing.
Willie Neilson got Oban Camanachd off to a great start when he netted with a low strike from 15 yards after just 3 minutes.
The home side only stayed in front for a couple of minutes though. Inveraray had a corner which was played to the front post. The ball went past a number of players and took a deflection off an Oban Camanachd defender before falling for Fraser Watt on the penalty spot and although Gavin Stobbart got a hand to Watt’s shot, the power of the strike took the ball into the roof of the net to make it 1-1.
Inveraray went in front on 18 minutes when Lewis MacNicol went on a run from the wing and he managed to cross the ball into the danger-area. It went past everyone to the far post where Fraser Watt cut it back to Lewis Montgomery who sent a shot into the bottom corner of the net to make it 2-1.
Willie Neilson got his and Oban Camanachd’s second goal on 33 minutes. This time Neilson poked the ball home from just a couple of yards out after a scramble inside the D.
Alan MacDonald’s switch to full forward has proved profitable for Inveraray and he grabbed the winner on 63 minutes. MacDonald got on the end of a free-hit and he controlled the ball before turning and striking it into the far corner of the net to make it 3-2.
Inveraray didn’t have that many shots on target but they were efficient and they took full advantage of Oban Camanachd having an off-day.
This was a first blip in what has been a good start to the season for Oban Camanachd and there were harsh words spoken in the changing rooms afterwards with the squad looking to get back on track in the league against Lovat this coming weekend.
Artemis MacAulay Cup - Quarter Final
Saturday 11 June 2016
Bute 2 Inveraray 3 (after extra-time)
Inveraray reached the Artemis MacAulay Cup last-four after a hard fought, extra-time, 3-2 win over Bute at the Meadows.
Inveraray full back Andrew McMurdo was free of suspension after serving a one match ban for passing through the disciplinary points threshold in the 4-0 Marine Harvest National Division win over Caberfeidh a week earlier. However wing centre David MacPherson was ruled out with a tight hamstring which he tweaked in the Cabers game. Ross Montgomery played with the Inveraray reserves.
Bute fielded former Scotland international Iain McDonald in attack and he had a great tussle with the returning John Kennedy in the Inveraray back line.
The sides drew 0-0 when they met at the Meadows on the opening day of the shinty season and this was another close encounter.
Inveraray got off to a great start and they led 2-0 early in the game. They went ahead on 5 minutes when Allan MacDonald, who was also back in the side, volleyed home a David Robertson corner. Allan MacDonald, and not Garry Macpherson as reported in some circles, got his second to make it 2-0 on 8 minutes when he fired a low shot into the corner of the goals.
Bute responded well and Iain McDonald pulled a goal back just a couple of minutes later when he scored at the back post following a corner.
The comeback was complete when Duncan Davidson made it 2-2 on 18 minutes when he capitalised on some poor defending.
Inveraray’s Allan MacDonald could have had a first half hat-trick after he produced a sweet finish but referee Lachie Wood pulled the play back for a foul on an Inveraray player in the lead up to the goal when the visitors would have preferred advantage to have been played.
The second half was all about Bute keeper Kevin Queen. He had an outstanding game and made a number of saves with his stick; one in particular, diving low to his right, was quite superb.
Inveraray had strength on the substitutes’ bench with Fraser Watt, Ally MacDonald and player / manager Ruaraidh Graham. They freshened things up and young Fraser Watt’s pace and directness was hurting a tiring Bute defence.
David Robertson and Garry MacPherson were using their experience to Inveraray’s advantage but they couldn’t find a way past keeper Kevin Queen so referee Lachie Wood took the tie to an extra-time period.
The extra-time period was very tight but Inveraray got the breakthrough on 100 minutes when Kevin Queen made another good save, this time from Grant Griffin, and young Lewis Montgomery pounced to knock the rebound home to make it 3-2.
The experienced Bute side never game up and they tested Inveraray all the way but it’s the Winterton men who go forward to play Kyles Athletic or Glasgow Mid Argyll in the Artemis MacAulay Cup semi-finals.
Artemis MacAulay Cup – Semi Finals
Saturday 23 July 2016
Kyles Athletic 2 Inveraray 3
Inveraray overcame the odds to beat Kyles Athletic 3-2 in their 1.30pm throw up at Mossfield and they will play Kinlochshiel in the Artemis MacAulay Cup Final at Mossfield on Saturday 3 September 2016.
Kyles were without Grant Irvine who suffered a broken arm in the Camanachd Cup defeat to Lochaber a week earlier and his season could be over. They were also without Roddy MacDonald and Donald Irvine. Andrew King was in defence with David Zavaroni at full centre.
Andrew McMurdo was still banned for Inveraray whilst Grant Griffin was also missing. A strong Inveraray bench featured David Robertson, Lewis MacNicol and David MacPherson.
Kyles took the lead after 18 minutes when some great work from Dunkie Kerr saw him turn Ally Munro and surge towards goal before sending a perfect ball to Robbie MacLeod at the back post and he turned the ball home to make it 1-0.
Allan MacDonald equalised on 21 minutes with a back-hand rocket-shot into the top corner of the net from 25 yards out.
Gordon Whyte put Kyles back in front on 27 minutes from the penalty spot and that’s the way it stayed until the break.
Kyles had a great chance to extend their lead when referee Lachie Wood awarded them a second penalty. Inveraray keeper Scott MacLachlan and Dunkie Kerr clashed when going for a 50-50 ball and Wood pointed to the spot on the advice of goal judge Robert Baxter. Inveraray disputed the decision but Whyte sent this one the wrong side of the post.
The tie was very even at this stage and it was Inveraray who levelled for a second time when a terrific move involving all four forwards saw Fraser Watt win the ball in the middle of the park and he played it wide to substitute David Robertson who had come on at the interval along with Lewis MacNicol in place of player / manager Ruaridh Graham and Ally MacDonald. Robertson switched the play to Lewis Montgomery who controlled the ball and played an accurate pass to the unmarked Allan MacDonald at the back post who coolly fired the ball home to make it 2-2 with 65 minutes gone.
The winning goal came 5 minutes from time when Allan MacDonald sent a dipping, swerving 25 yard effort past a helpless John Whyte to make it 3-2 and complete his hat-trick.
Kyles pushed Callum Miller up front for the last 5 minutes in a bid to take the tie to extra-time. Allan MacDonald tracked back with him.
There was late drama when Kyles were awarded a third penalty. Referee Lachie Wood penalised the Winterton side for a kick, again on the advice of the goal judge. Inveraray were unhappy with the decision but Robbie MacLeod hit the spot-hit straight at MacLachlan who stopped the ball and played it out for a corner. Allan MacDonald was sent off by referee Lachie Wood for something said in the aftermath.
Defender Nicholas Crawford and forward Allan MacDonald were both outstanding for Inveraray whilst there was some super wing play from Kyles pair Robbie MacLeod and Thomas Whyte.
Event Details
The 2016 Artemis MacAulay Cup between Inveraray and Kinlochshiel throws up at 2pm.
Admission is £7 with £4 concessions (includes a match programme).
If you can’t make it to Mossfield, the match will be broadcast LIVE on BBC2 Scotland from 1.45pm.