Memory Lane - 2000 / 2001 Shinty Season Part 11/20 | |
31 December 2015 As Skye Camanachd look forward to their first season in shinty’s top division since 2002, let’s look back to the 2000 / 01 season, Skye’s first year in the national top tier. The Islanders only spell in the National Premier Division came when they won promotion from the National League Division 1 after a final-day win over Lochcarron at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree at the end of the 1999 / 2000 season. Skye joined Fort William, Glenorchy, Kilmallie, Kingussie, Kyles Athletic Newtonmore and Oban Camanachd in an eight team top flight in hope of winning the championship but with a definite aim of avoiding finishing bottom of the table which would mean relegation. Skye remained in cup action as they travelled to Blairbeg to play Glenurquhart in the first round of the Glenmorangie Camanachd Cup.
Saturday 10 March 2001 Glenmorangie Camanachd Cup Glenurquhart 1 Skye Camanachd 2 Skye Camanachd safely negotiated a Glenmorangie Camanachd Cup first round tie against Glenurquhart with a 2-1 win at Blairbeg. Skye had beaten the Glen 6-3 in their Macaulay Cup meeting earlier in the season but this was a much closer contest. Peter Gordon put Skye ahead with an accurate strike from an acute angle. The Glen levelled when Paul MacKintosh was allowed too much time and space and he took full advantage to make it 1-1. And that’s the way it stayed until a couple of minutes from time when Dougie Ranking lofted a free-hit towards the Glen goal. Willie Cowie expertly knocked the ball down into the path of the onrushing Somhairle MacDonald and he confidently fired the ball past Glen keeper Stuart MacKintosh to make it 2-1. Skye would now travel to the Winterton the week after to play Marine Harvest National Division 1 side Inveraray in the next round. |