Crossal & Co Retain John MacKinnon Memorial Sixes | |
02 January 2019 Crossal & Co won the sixth John MacKinnon Memorial Sixes which took place at the Portree High School astro pitch on Saturday 29 December 2018.
The John MacKinnon Memorial Sixes The event remembers Skye Camanachd Vice President John MacKinnon who died following a tragic accident at work in December 2011. John MacKinnon was a regular at Skye Camanachd games both at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree and on the mainland. His son Ewen MacKinnon was the youngest member of the Skye Camanachd side which won the 1990 Camanachd Cup when they beat Newtonmore 4-1 at An Aird, Fort William. The family connection continues with John’s grandson Iain Nicolson playing for the Skye first team whilst grandsons William MacKinnon and Ross MacKinnon turn out for the Skye U17s last season. John MacKinnon’s firm Skye Transport was a well-established haulage business and is now part of the Ferguson Transport Group. John was also a generous sponsor of Skye Camanachd and was always on hand to provide advice on many matters.
The Tournament Play began just after 10.30am on what was a dry and mild day in Portree with five teams taking part. Crossal & Co 4 JAM’s Bread & Butter 0 Reigning champions Crossal & Co made a strong start to the tournament and an early Jordan Murchison shot flew across goal and just wide of the far post. However they took the lead shortly after when John MacLean turned a cross from the right low into the net with the side’s designated over 40s player earning a bonus point in the process. Jordan Murchison then set up Neil MacVicar to make it 2-0 before MacVicar turned provider as Iain Nicolson notched a third. William MacKinnon’s shot from distance rounded off the 4-0 victory which was to be the biggest winning margin of the day. Morrisons & Co 2 The Magnificent 7 1 Stewart Grant blasted the ball into the net to give Morrisons & Co an early lead but a superb Will Cowie backhand strike from distance made it 1-1. The winning goal was also something special as James Pringle thundered home a drive from the left of midfield to give Morrisons & Co a 2-1 win. Achmore Wanderers 0 Morrisons & Co 0 Achmore Wanderers were late starters as keeper Neilie MacRae was unusually late. However he led his charges in what was an entertaining goalless draw with Morrison & Co who played consecutive games. Achmore’s Ruaraidh MacDonald, who had a good tournament, saw a shot well saved by Ryan Morrison with Morrison then denying Oliver MacRae who hit the target from wide on the left. A surging run out of goal from Neilie “Ach” MacRae saw him beat a couple of players, and indeed lose his glasses but, with Morrisons eventually winning possession, James Pringle’s shot was cleared off the line by Ruaraidh MacDonald. JAM’s Bread & Butter 1 Achmore Wanderers 0 Achmore Wanderers stayed on for the next match against JAM’s Bread & Butter and the outcome was settled when Jenna Beaton steered a rebound into the net, earning a bonus point into the bargain. The Magnificent 7 0 JAM’s Bread & Butter 0 This was a match of few chances and a share of the points always looked likely. Achmore Wanders 0 Crossal & Co 0 Achmore collected their second point; drawing with eventual winners Crossal & Co. Achmore’s Oliver MacRae twice came closest to breaking the deadlock. Crossal & Co 0 The Magnificent 7 1 The only goal came early in the game as Abby MacLean drove the ball low in on goal. Keeper Neil John Campbell came off his line and with Will Cowie closing him down, the ball ended up in the net with the goal credited to MacLean, earning The Magnificent 7 a bonus point. JAM’s Bread & Butter 1 Morrisons & Co 2 Morrison & Co took the lead when JAM keeper Murphy Henderson made a save but James Pringle flicked the rebound into the net from close range. Morrisons & Co doubled their lead when Martin Pringle scored from a central position. Marcus Ross pulled a goal back from close in after being set up by Ally “Cleodi” MacLeod. Morrisons & Co 0 Crossal & Co 3 Crossal & Co made the best possible start when John MacLean thumped the ball into the roof of the net after only 10 seconds, snatching a bonus point. When Jordan Murchison cut in from the left, he found William MacKinnon who netted from close range. Jordan Murchison then set up Caitlin MacLean who tucked the ball into the corner of the net for another bonus goal. The Magnificent 7 0 Achmore Wanderers 1 The Magnificent 7 now only had to win in this match to seal a second place finish and a place in the final. Achmore, who have competed in all six John MacKinnon Sixes, had collected a couple of points but hadn’t scored a goal in this year’s completion thus far, were pinned back from the start with Abby MacLean and Angie Grant both going close. The pressure continued towards the Achmore goal and a superb Katherine Dibble block prevented The Magnificent 7 taking the lead before Jamie Beaton then threatened to break the deadlock. Katherine Dibble then deflected Abby MacLean’s effort off the line before Achmore hit their opponents with a classic sucker-punch as Oliver MacRae threaded a pass to his younger brother Archie MacRae who scored what proved to be the only goal of the game. After the group section, the results left Crossal & Co top of the pile ahead of second placed Morrisons & Co with both sides winning through to the Grand Final. Grand Final Crossal & Co 2 Morrisons & Co 1 Crossal & Co were 3-0 winners when the sides met at the round-robin stage but the final was a much closer affair. Indeed Morrisons & Co shocked the holders when they took the lead. Christina MacDonald took a ball from the right, turned and fired the ball into the top corner of the net, past keeper Angie MacDonald, to open the scoring. Crossal & Co responded and John MacLean’s piledriver was touched onto the bar and away to safety by keeper Ryan Morrison. Jordan Murchison was next to try his luck and he made it 1-1 when he steered the ball through a crowded goal area past an unsighted keeper. The sides remained on level terms until the break. The game turned on two opportunities. James Pringle had a chance at one end but it was defended well and as Crossal & Co broke forward at speed, Jordan Murchison got his second goal of the final with an accurate finish into the corner of the net, putting his injuries woes from last season behind him in the process. Referee Ewen MacLean’s final whistle signalled a 2-1 win and a second successive trophy success for Crossal & Co.
Players of the Tournament The four players of the tournament awards, selected by the participating teams, were presented as follows at a special event at the Skye Camanachd Clubhouse afterwards:
Team Line-ups The five participating teams were: Achmore Wanderers from: Neilie MacRae, Oliver MacRae, Archie MacRae, Duncan MacMillan, Duncan Matheson, Ruaraidh MacDonald, Katherine Dibble Crossal & Co from: Angie MacDonald, John MacLean, Caitlin MacLean, William MacKinnon, Iain Nicolson, Jordan Murchison, Ewen MacKinnon, Neil MacVicar JAM’S Bread & Butter from: Murphy Henderson, Ally “Cleodi” MacLeod, James Stephenson, Jamie Gillies, Jamie MacKay, Jenna Beaton, John Angus MacInnes, Marcus Scott Morrison & Co from: Ryan Morrison, Daniel Morrison, James Pringle, Martin Pringle, Stewart Grant, James Munro, James Morrison, Christina MacDonald The Magnificent 7 from: Neil John Campbell, Connor Gilpin, Abby MacLean, Iain Grant, Will Cowie, Allan MacLeod, Angie Grant, Jamie Beaton Tournament Referees – John Angus Gillies, Caley MacLean & Ewen MacLean
Sponsors Following the presentations at the Skye Camanachd Clubhouse, Skye Camanachd Chair Fiona Cruickshank made special thanks to tournament sponsors M2Motors and the Castle Restaurant, Inverness. |