Skye Camanachd 4 Kilmallie 2 | |
20 August 2015 Skye Camanachd go top of the Marine Harvest National Division thanks to a 4-2 win over Kilmallie at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 15 August 2015. Skye manager John MacLeod made three changes to the squad which recorded a 2-0 Marine Harvest National Division win over Glasgow Mid Argyll at Yoker a week earlier. Iain Nicolson was working and youngster Ruairidh MacLeod, who was a late addition to last week’s squad, dropped out. Neil MacVicar was a late call-off through work commitments. Ally “Spod” MacLeod, who missed the GMA match after failing to recover from an injury sustained at the midweek Scotland U21 trials, returned whilst Iain Murray was back from holiday and there was also a place for Chris Rose in the fifteen man squad. Kilmallie went into the match top the Marine Harvest National Division, ahead of second place Skye on goal difference. Boss Mark MacPherson gave a starting place to Liam MacDonald who was a second half substitute in Kilmallie’s 1-1 draw with Caberfeidh in their last outing a fortnight earlier. Seb MacMillan was missing as was Mark Graham. There were two of shinty’s top young keepers in either side with Skye goalie Iain MacLeod recently named as North U21 keeper ahead of the Shinty / Hurling international between Scotland U21 and Ireland U21 whilst Kilmallie custodian Shane Gillies had been in Dublin with the Scotland U17 squad during the summer. Throw up was at 2pm and the game was broadcast live on radio and online on Cuillin FM’s Camanachd Live show. Skye opened shooting towards the Struan Road end of the ground and the match started at a good pace on a warm afternoon. A long Craig MacIsaac ball into the goal area was deflected past his post with his thigh by Skye goalie Iain MacLeod for a Kilmallie corner on their left. The game started to get niggly and Peter Carmichael was spoken to by referee Archie Ritchie for a challenge on Jordan Murchison. Kilmallie’s Ryan Stewart was yellow carded on 12 minutes for retreating with the ball when Skye were awarded a free-hit. Jordan Murchison, who had also just been named in the North U21 squad, sent a shot wide of target seconds later. Skye started to press and Kilmallie full back Allan MacDonald did well to usher the ball out of play for a goal-hit under pressure from Kenny Campbell. Allan MacKinnon broke down the right on 16 minutes but his shot went past the post. Kenny Campbell was just a whisker away from getting onto the end of a Jordan Murchison cross from the left on 19 minutes. Some nice stick-work from John Stewart set up a chance for Liam MacDonald but his effort went wide of target with 20 minutes played. Shane Gillies twice stopped Danny Morrison shots with his feet, turning the ball away for a corner on both occasions. The home side went in front on 24 minutes when Gibbs MacDonald played a terrific shy forward. Will Cowie gathered possession and evaded a couple of challenges as he broke down the Skye right. Cowie’s cross found Jordan Murchison who showed great skill as he took a touch in the air and he crashed the ball high into the net to make it 1-0. However Cowie took a blow to the hand from Martin Stewart in the build up to the goal and had to leave the field; replaced by Kenny MacLeod. Robbie MacFadyen did just enough to get the ball away from Jordan Murchison as the Skye forward looked to shoot goalwards on 29 minutes. Kenny Campbell picked up possession but his effort went just past Shane Gillies’ right post with the keeper scrambling to get a touch as the referee signalled for a corner on the Skye left. Skye doubled their lead following the resultant corner when a wild swing from Martin Stewart brought down Kenny Campbell inside the D. Skye’s Kenny MacLeod required treatment and having his hand trodden on as he retrieved the ball and Shockie MacLennan replaced the substitute. Following a delay, Jordan Murchison made no mistake from the spot as he made it 2-0 with 31 minutes just played. Shockie MacLennan made an almost instant impact as the Skye forwards combined and MacLennan made it 3-0 just 3 minutes later with a low, bouncing shot from around the penalty spot which deceived Kilmallie keeper Shane Gillies at his right post. Skye’s Chris Rose required treatment when he was caught late as he tried to clear the ball out of defence. A turn and shot from Kenny Campbell following a Skye corner was saved and cleared by Shane Gillies with Shockie MacLennan looking to pounce on any slip. A Jordan Murchison volley went just wide moments later. Skye made it 4-0 following a fine flowing move on 42 minutes. Kenny Campbell allowed an Allan MacKinnon shy to run to Jordan Murchison. Murchison found Shockie MacLennan who passed to Kenny Campbell and he shot goalwards. Shane Gillies made a great save but as the ball flew into the air, Murchison knocked it down into the net to complete his hat-trick. Skye had some late first half defending to do and they took their four goal lead into the interval. Kilmallie boss Mark MacPherson changed his side around for the second half with Craig MacIsaac dropping back into defence and Martin Stewart pushed up front. Ryan Stewart and Michael Rodger, who had been carrying an injury, were taken off with Iain Robertson and Arran Sandison coming on. Skye’s Danny Morrison had to come off for treatment after taking a blow to the arm just after the restart with Kenny MacLeod returning to the field. A Jordan Murchison shot from a tight angle went wide on 50 minutes. A John Stewart went wide at the other end as the revamped visiting forward line took shape. Kenny Campbell put the ball just wide after Shockie MacLennan and Kenny MacLeod combined. Iain MacLeod made a good save from Liam MacDonald with Skye eventually getting the ball away. Kilmallie’s Liam MacDonald was booked following a clash with a Skye defender on 57 minutes. A long-range Jordan Murchison effort dipped just over the bar a minute later. Kilmallie were asking questions of the Skye defence and the home rear-guard threw their bodies in front of the ball to thwart one attack on the hour mark. Iain MacLeod made a good save with his caman from Liam MacDonald and John Stewart was unable to get any power on his shot from the rebound. Gilleasbuig MacDonald need treatment from Skye medic Dr Wilson backs and the match reached passed the mid-point mark in the second half. Kenny MacLeod and Peter Carmichael needed treatment after running into eachother and play restarted with crossed-camans. Iain MacLeod made a great save with his hand from Arran Sandison on 73 minutes with John Stewart taking a knock in the lead up to the goal. Kilmallie were now more of a threat to the Skye goal and they pulled a goal back when Liam MacDonald smashed an unstoppable shot into the Skye net to make it 4-1 following a John Stewart free-hit from a central position just outside the D on 76 minutes. Iain Robertson and Kenny MacLeod were both booked following a tussle on 81 minutes and MacLeod was replaced by Danny Morrison and was later confirmed to have been suffering from concussion. When Stephen MacAllister launched a free-hit into the Skye goal area on 85 minutes, John Stewart stretched to deflect the ball down into the net to make it 4-2. However Skye saw out the remainder of the game and they now go two points clear of second place Kilmallie at the top of the table with each side having four games remaining including a return meeting at the Canal Parks. Beauly are also still very much in the title race and they travel to play Kilmallie this coming weekend with Skye heading for the Jubilee Park to take on Ballachulish. Skye Camanachd from: Iain MacLeod; Steven Morrison, Ally “Spod” MacLeod, Ally MacDonald, Chris Rose; Allan MacKinnon, Gilleasbuig MacDonald (captain), Chris MacLennan; Will Cowie, Danny Morrison, Jordan Murchison, Kenny Campbell; subs Kenny MacLeod, Shockie MacLennan, Iain Murray, Kilmallie from: Shane Gillies; Alan MacDonald, Robbie MacFadyen, Martin Stewart, Peter Carmichael; Liam Cameron, Stephen MacAllister, Ryan Stewart; Michael Rodger, Craig MacIsaac, Liam MacDonald (captain), John Stewart; subs Iain Robertson, Arran Sandison, Bryan MacKay Match Referee – Archie Ritchie Goal Judges – Donnie Martin, Charlie Gibb The match balls were sponsored by Nor-Dan |