Skye Camanachd 3 Kingussie 2 | |
09 June 2016 The Skye Camanachd second team beat their Kingussie counter-parts 3-2 in their Marine Harvest North Division 1 match at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 4 June 2016. Skye Camanachd second team boss Davie Pringle made four changes to the squad which lost out to the Newtonmore second team in their league meeting in Portree the previous weekend. Andrew Banks, DJ Gilpin, Thomas Wilson and James Pringle were replaced by Chris Rose, Iain Murray, Connor Gilpin and Jamie Gillies with the latter starting on the bench. The Kingussie seconds were led by Ally MacLeod and their good start to the season saw them in third spot in the league. They had suffered only one defeat and one draw in their eleven matches so far this term, scored twenty goals in their last three games. John Gibson was called up by the Kings’ first team whilst Russell Menzies and Scott MacIntyre didn’t travel. This 2.30pm throw up was broadcast LIVE on radio and online on Cuillin FM’s Camanachd LIVE Show. It was a warm summer’s day in Portree and the recent good weather had left the pitch very firm so the ball moved at pace. Skye played towards the Struan Road end of the ground and all the goals came in the first half. Kingussie made a bright start but it was Skye who took the lead after just 3 minutes when John Angus MacInnes gathered a ball from Iain MacLellan. With Ally “Cleodi” MacLeod breaking down the Skye right, MacInnes picked out Ruaraidh MacLeod on the left and he cut in to score a good goal from close range. A nice Skye passing move after 8 minutes ended with an Iain MacLellan shot which went just past Kings’ keeper Robert Shiells’ right post. It was Skye who would extend their lead when Ally “Cleodi” MacLeod made it 2-0 on 9 minutes. The ball broke to him 25 yards out and his shot took an awkward bounce in front of Robert Shiells and the ball flew into the net. Kingussie came close to pulling a goal back on 22 minutes when Kevin Thain flicked the ball into the path of Ruaridh Anderson but Skye keeper Ryan Morrison made a great reaction save with his hand and the visitors had to settle for a corner. A thumping Connor Gilpin shy midway through the first half found John Angus MacInnes at the back post but his bouncing shot went just past the wrong side of the goal. Ryan Morrison made a good double save from Kevin Thain on 30 minutes and Ally “Spod” Macleod did well to clear the ball into midfield. Skye forced a couple of corners without getting a shot on goal and the nearest they came to adding to their tally was a John Angus MacInnes shot which was saved with his feet by Robert Shiells. Kingussie drew level in a 6 minute spell with two almost identical goals from Kevin Thain. On 35 minutes, Kevin Thain gathered a Jack Anderson ball from midfield with his back to goal on the left of the D before turning and sending the ball just inside the keeper’s left-hand post to make it 2-1. Kingussie equalised on 41 minutes. Sorley Fraser played a great shy from right which found Kevin Thain in almost exactly the same spot as where he scored his first goal. Thain turned his marker and his shot kicked up off the surface into the net. Skye responded in the best possible way and they got themselves back in front just a minute later. Iain MacLellan got onto a free-hit and he took a touch before hitting the ball on the turn from wide on the Skye right and he netted, even at this early stage, what proved to be the winning goal. Skye made some positional changes seconds later with Iain Murray going to full back, David Grant going to full forward and Iain MacLellan dropping into midfield. Calum Gibb came on a half time for the home side in place of John Angus MacInnes. Both teams showed plenty of endeavour early in the second half without troubling either keeper. Neil John Campbell was excellent in defence for Skye whilst Ronald Ross showed his class in the buckshee back position for the Kings. A Ryan Morrison save with his feet kept out a Kevin Thain effort and Roddy Young put the rebound past the post with 58 minutes played. Skye made another change on the hour as John Angus MacInnes returned in place of David Grant. Ally “Cleodi” MacLeod went to full forward with MacInnes going to buckshee forward. A Dylan Borthwick shot went wide on 64 minutes and chances were now few and far between. A good run and shot from Roddy Young was saved in the air with his caman by Ryan Morrison on 67 minutes. Kingussie made their first change of the game when Daniel Donald came on for Jack Anderson after 74 minutes. Dylan Borthwick required treatment after taking a knock to the knee on 81 minutes and the players on both sides took the opportunity to take some water on board during the short break in play. Kevin Thain made just enough space to get a shot in on 84 minutes but Allan MacLeod stopped the ball with his feet and Skye got the ball away at the expense of a corner. With only a couple of minutes of the regulation 90 minutes remaining, Kingussie withdrew full forward Kevin Thain with Liam Borthwick coming on. There was no respite for the Skye defence though as Ronald Ross pushed forward to take over Thain’s role. A Daniel Donald shot from a Sorley Fraser shy went wide of target as the match moved into the 89 minute. A nice passing move a minute into stoppage time saw Skye’s Calum Gibb pick out Ruaraidh MacLeod who let the ball run across his body before shooting just wide of Robert Shiells’ goal. Kingussie threatened 3 minutes into stoppage time when Ronald Ross collected a Ruaridh Anderson ball down the middle but Ryan Morrison had the shot covered and the effort went wide of the post. It was a nervous ending to the match for the Skye support and after 5 minutes’ stoppage time, referee Callum Duff sounded his final whistle Kingussie were well served by Ronald Ross at the back and forward Ruaridh Anderson who worked hard up front throughout. The Skye defence, in which keeper Ryan Morrison was good, Iain Murray shone and Neil John Campbell was a stand-out, stood firm and the win lifts Skye to sixth spot in the table. Skye Camanachd from: Ryan Morrison; David Grant (captain), Ally “Spod” MacLeod, Neil John Campbell, Allan MacLeod; Iain Murray, Chris Rose, Connor Gilpin; Ally “Cleodi” MacLeod, Iain MacLellan, Ruaraidh MacLeod, John Angus MacInnes; subs Calum Gibb, Ross Nicolson, Jamie Gillies Kingussie: Robert Shiells; Rory Fraser, Alexander Michie, Lee Riddoch, Ronald Ross; Sorley Fraser, James MacLean, Jack Anderson; Ruaridh Anderson, Dylan Borthwick, Roddy Young, Kevin Thain; subs Liam Borthwick, Daniel Donald, Daniel Thain Match Referee – Callum Duff Goal Judges – Donnie Martin, Michael Thain The match balls were sponsored by Nor-Dan |