Memory Lane - 2000 / 2001 Shinty Season Part 19/20 | |
13 January 2016 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. A depleted Skye Camanachd squad travelled to An Aird to play Fort William in their penultimate league fixture of the season.
Saturday 5 May 2001 Marine Harvest National Premier Division Fort William 5 Skye Camanachd 0 Skye Camanachd first team manager Angie Murchison knew he was up against it when he travelled to An Aird to play second place Fort William without seven players from his usual squad. It was a youthful squad with replacements Jamie Beaton, Donnie Campbell, Gilleasbuig MacDonald and Iain Urquhart all called up from the second team. Keeper John “Podge” MacLeod was back in goal after missing the Newtonmore defeat with a broken toe. Gordie MacKinnon knocked the ball home from close range to give Fort William and early lead. Skye made a fight of it though and Fort keeper Gary Wells twice saved well from Skye’s Jamie Beaton. There was more than a touch of fortune about Fort William’s second goal as a Blair Hughes shot took a wicked bounce to beat keeper MacLeod. Fort William’s Victor Smith, who was well-marked by Skye’s Steven Morrison, scored from inside the D to make it 3-0. Two late goals put Fort William out of sight. First an Innes Wood strike took a deflection on its way into the net to make it 4-0. Victor Smith rounded off the scoring when he made it 5-0 with his second goal of the afternoon. Skye headed home knowing that they needed to beat Glenorchy at Pairc nan Loach, Portree the following Saturday to beat the drop after their first season in the Marine Harvest Premier Division. |