Glenurquhart U17 4 Skye Camanachd U17 1. | |
18 August 2010 The Skye Camanachd U17 side went down 4-1 to Glenurquhart U17 in the London Shield at Blairbeg on Monday 16 August 2010. Skye Camanachd U17 coach Davie MacVicar was without Shaun Hedley, Ally MacLeod and Ruairidh Morrison who were all working and the injured Magnus Burd. However Calum Gibb, who played in the second team’s win over Kilmallie at the weekend, and Chris MacLennan were both available again after missing the win over Kingussie U17. MacTavish Juvenile runners-up Glenurquhart fielded a strong side featuring Inverness first team duo Fraser Heath and Graeme MacMillan and Glengarry’s Matthew Brady. Skye surprised their hosts by taking the lead within the first 10 seconds. Full centre Martin Bruce won the ball from the throw up and played it forward to buckshee forward Paul MacKinnon who raced forward before laying the ball across the edge of the D where Jordan Murchison took full advantage of Matthew Brady’s failure to clear by volleying the ball into the roof of the net. The hosts were clearly rattled by the early goal and Skye created another opening when Jordan Murchison and Paul MacKinnon combined to set up Will Cowie whose lofted drive was well saved by Glen keeper MacLennan. Murchison again found space moments later but his drive was charged down by full back Matthew Brady. Glenurquhart posed a real threat up front in Daniel Macintosh and the speedy Kelvin MacKenzie both whom are regulars in the Glenurquhart second team. It was MacKenzie who was first to threaten when his powerful strike from the edge of the D was well saved by Skye keeper Iain MacLeod. However MacLeod could do little about the Glen equaliser when Daniel MacKintosh turned his marker to send a rasping drive into the roof of the Skye net on 10 minutes. The play flowed from end to end with the next chance falling to Glenurquhart’s Kelvin MacKenzie, but again MacLeod came to Skye’s rescue. The remainder of the half was evenly contested and the teams went in at the break all square. The second half was just 3 minutes old when Daniel MacKintosh carried the ball unchallenged from the right wing forward position and slipped the it past Iain MacLeod in the Skye goal to put Glenurquhart 2-1 up. In their next attack Skye almost carved out an equaliser following good work from Murchison only for Will Cowie’s drive to go the wrong side of the crossbar. 10 minutes into the half Glen went 3-1 up when Kelvin MacKenzie picked up a half clearance from defence and sent a 20 yard bullet shot into the Skye net. The Skye defence was coming under increasing pressure at this point, but Scott MacLeod at buckshee back and Iain Grant at full back were proving formidable barriers to the Glen forwards. With Paul MacKinnon dropping back from buckshee forward to wing centre Skye lost their attacking threat in the middle of the second half. As Glen pressure began to take its toll Kelvin MacKenzie put the home team 4-1 up with another blistering drive following good work from Graeme MacMillan. Skye came back into the game in the closing quarter but couldn’t find the back of the net despite Martin Bruce, Jordan Murchison and substitute Ian MacPherson all going close to scoring. The Skye youngsters lost to Glenurquhart at the same stage in the competition last season before going on to win the tournament. Skye must now win their home matches against Lovat and Beauly to qualify for this year’s semi finals. Skye Camanachd U17 from; Iain MacLeod, Iain Grant, Calum Gibb, Mark Mortimer, Scott MacLeod, Daniel Morrison (captain), Martin Bruce, Chris MacLennan, Paul MacKinnon, Will Cowie, (Scott MacDonald), Jordan Murchison, John Gillies, (Ian MacPherson) Referee - Raymond Morrison |