The Rest of the World may have edged out Caberfeidh in their special veterans’ charity shinty match at Castle Leod on Saturday 6 June 2015 but Alzheimer Scotland were the main winners.
A group of the game’s top players, including multiple Camanachd Cup winners and internationalists, came together in this special challenge which will raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer Scotland.
The match took place after the popular Annual Ross-shire Sixes competition for primary and U14 age groups. Throw up was at 6.30pm and over £2,000 was raised through a recommended entry fee of £5 minimum and other donations.
The Rest of the World veterans’ squad was managed by Newtonmore shinty legend John MacKenzie who is also the Shinty Ambassador for the Memories shinty club run by Alzheimer Scotland. His squad included Skye Camanachd’s Camanachd Cup winning duo Ewen MacKinnon, now Inverness, and John Finlayson who captained the side. Badenoch rivals Kingussie and Newtonmore were represented by current Kings first team co-managers Russell Jones and Davie Anderson as well as second team manager Jimmy Gow whilst current ‘More President Norman MacArthur was also included. Kinlochshiel representation came from Neillie “Ach” MacRae and Ian “Darkie” Fraser and Lochaber boss Ally Ferguson was also involved. Shinty’s first National Player of the Year, Willie Cowie from Skye Camanachd, was also picked but he was unable to attend.
Caberfeidh were managed by current Caberfeidh Vice-President Ian MacLean. He included the irrepressible Ian Bartlett and the 75 year was the oldest player on the field. Former player and current shinty referee Archie Ritchie was in goals and there was also a place event organiser Andrew MacMaster, who captained the side, and Lochcarron’s Allan MacKenzie who replaced the injured David MacKenzie.
The man in the middle was respected former referee John Henderson who refereed Skye Camanachd’s 1990 Camanachd Cup win over Newtonmore.
The game itself was terrific entertainment and Kingussie co-manager Davie Anderson broke the deadlock on 30 minutes with a well taken shot from outside D which made it 1-0.
However his fellow Kings co-manager Russell Jones didn’t fare so well. He came on as a substitute for Newtonmore’s Norman MacArthur and, with the first half coming to a close, the ball ended up in the Rest of the World net as Jones tried to clear under pressure from Cabers’ Ian Bartlett.
Jones claimed to be more of a forward than a defender but manager John MacKenzie left it until late on in the second half before he risked that particular plan.
Kinlochshiel’s Ian “Darkie” Fraser put the Rest of the World back in front with around an hour played when he made it 2-1 following a goalmouth scramble.
And despite plenty endeavour, that’s the way it stayed until John Henderson’s final whistle.
Caberfeidh from:
Andrew MacMaster (captain)
Graham MacGregor
Martin MacLean
Archie Ritchie
Brian MacDonald
Malcolm Morrison
Stuart Coli
Robert Bartlett
Alan MacDonald
Stewart MacLennan
Willie MacLennan
Paul Ross
Ronald MacArthur
Ian MacDonald
Ian MacGregor
Wayne Grant
Norman Ross
Ian MacKenzie
Angus MacKay
Kenny Ross
Ian Bartlett
Rest of the World from:
James Cruickshank – Beauly
Stephen MacLean – Beauly
Willie MacDonald - Fort William
David Stewart – Glenurquhart
Bochy MacNiven - Kilmallie
John Morrison – Kilmallie
David Anderson – Kingussie
Jimmy Gow – Kingussie
Russell Jones – Kingussie
Ian Fraser – Kinlochshiel
Neillie MacRae – Kinlochshiel
Ally Ferguson – Lochaber
Allan MacKenzie – Lochcarron
James Gallagher – Lovat
John MacRitchie – Lovat
Evan Cheyne – Newtonmore
Norman MacArthur – Newtonmore
John Finlayson – Skye Camanachd (captain)
Ewen MacKinnon – Skye Camanachd
Raymond Fraser – Strathglass
Match organiser Andrew MacMaster of Caberfeidh said, “We are delighted with the response from the local shinty community. The game was played in great spirit and no quarter was asked nor given, as you would have expected from all the players on show. The Rest of the World select showed their class, knocking the ball about with ease. However our own Cabers boys more than stuck to the task and we were unfortunate not to come away with a draw. There were a couple of aches, pains and strains during and after the match but fortunately we were no burden to the local NHS as had been highly anticipated. We must send a massive thank you to everyone involved in making the event such a success and for raising such a tremendous amount of money for such a worthwhile cause.”
Michael White said, “Alzheimer Scotland Memories Shinty Club is absolutely delighted by the fantastic fundraising effort from the Shinty Veterans match at Strathpeffer. I was amazed at the turn out for the game, given the earlier downpour, and the enthusiasm of the players and crowd was simply fantastic. To raise £2,000 shows just how generous the shinty community is, and how they want to help those who love the game - and who are living with dementia."
(Pictures: Skye's John Finlayson takes on the Caberfeidh defence & Ewen MacKinnon (Skye & Inverness surges forward)