Skye Camanachd 6 Glasgow Mid Argyll 1 | |
04 September 2015 Skye Camanachd’s title charge remains on course following a 6-1 win over Glasgow Mid Argyll at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 29 August 2015. Skye Camanachd manager John MacLeod made three changes to the squad which beat Ballachulish in the league a week earlier. Danny Morrison and Kenny Campbell – who scored six goals between them in that game – were unavailable whilst John Gillies was also left out after picking up a knock whilst playing for the Skye Camanachd U17s during the week. They were replaced by Gilleasbuig MacDonald, a fit again Will Cowie and David MacInnes. Kenny MacLeod was still out having failed to recover from concussion. George Hay’s GMA side were Balliemore Cup runners up this season and they went into the match in third place in the league. Hay was without former Caberfeidh player Ewen Murray who served a one game ban for exceeding the disciplinary points threshold. The visitors travelled with just twelve players but they fielded a strong line-up. Former Kinlochshiel player John Don MacKenzie slotted in at full back in place of Ryan Harrison who was on holiday. The GMA players travelled North on the Friday evening, staying in Dornie at the home of player John Don MacKenzie. Throw up was brought forward to 2.20pm to allow the visitors an earlier departure for their return journey home and the whole match was broadcast live on radio and online on Cuillin FM’s Camanachd Live show. There was a first outing for Skye’s new all-blue second strips, sponsored by Isle of Skye Holiday Homes. Skye played towards the Struan Road end of the ground and there was a slight breeze in their favour. The home side attacked from the throw up with Jonathon Oates in the GMA goal saving with his legs from Iain Nicolson in the opening seconds. Moments later, Jordan Murchison played in Shockie MacLennan but again Oates saved and GMA cleared but Skye regained possession and Shockie MacLennan found Allan MacKinnon breaking down the right, but he sent his shot in to the side netting. An opening goal Skye looked inevitable and Skye took the lead after just 5 minutes. Neil MacVicar won possession following a GMA goal hit and he found Allan MacKinnon who played in Iain Nicolson and he pushed the ball to Shockie MacLennan on the Skye right. MacLennan’s reverse pass found Nicolson and whilst Jonathon Oates in the GMA goal saved Nicolson’s shot from the edge of the D, Jordan Murchison slammed the rebound into the net to make it 1-0. Skye took the direct route to double their advantage on 9 minutes. An Iain MacLeod goal-hit was knocked down by Allan MacKinnon to Gilleasbuig MacDonald who sent a drive down the middle and Shockie MacLennan flicked the ball on to Jordan Murchison who took a touch before ending the ball high into the net to make it 2-0. GMA brought Craig Anderson back into midfield as they tried to stem the frequent Skye attacks. Skye full back Steven Morrison limped off injured on 21 minutes. Chris Rose came on at buckshee back with Neil MacVicar dropping back to full back. Jordan Murchison and Shockie MacLennan combined once more on 27 minutes to extend Skye’s lead. Jordan Murchison collected possession in the centre circle and he held off a couple of challenges before bursting forward, running directly at the GMA defence, and he played a perfectly weighted pass to Shockie MacLennan who had peeled off to the left and MacLennan sent a well-struck low shot into the net to make it 3-0. On the half hour mark, Allan MacKinnon sent a pin-point free-hit from the right of midfield to Jordan Murchison on the Skye left. Murchison took the ball down before sending a shot narrowing past Jonathon Oates right post. As the rain started to fall, GMA’s Euan Forsyth sent a shot wide of target after the ball broke to him following a Craig Anderson shy. Skye goalie Iain MacLeod was forced to come off his line to clear a Calum McLay cross for a corner after good lead up play from Euan Forsyth. There was a goalmouth scramble from the resultant corner and Iain MacLeod deflected a shot onto his post and away for another corner which was cleared. GMA pulled a goal back just 3 minutes before the break when youngster Calum McLay rifled the ball into the net following a melee in the goal area with Jamie Doherty and Scott Anderson involved in the lead-up play. With the rain getting heavier, Skye took their 3-1 lead into the break. A good run and shot from Will Cowie early in the second half was met with a save with his feet by keeper Jonathon Oates. Referee Graham Cameron booked GMA’s Mark Bain for persistent fouling on 48 minutes. At the stop in play, Steven Morrison rejoined the action in place of Iain Nicolson. Morrison took up his usual full back role with Neil MacVicar deployed in attack. Skye were irked at the loss of the goal before the break, especially as goal difference could prove vital in the title race, and they were back on the goal trail just 4 minutes after the restart. Will Cowie won possession following a goal-hit for Skye and he sent the ball forward to Shockie MacLennan and his neat reverse pass picked out Jordan Murchison completed his hat-trick as he sent the ball low into the net to make it 4-1. Scott Anderson got on the end of a free-hit from his brother Craig Anderson but his shot rose over the top. A quick Skye passing moved culminated with a Shockie MacLennan shot into the side-netting. Skye made a double-substitution on the hour-mark as Chris MacLennan came on for Iain Murray and Iain Nicolson came back on in place of Chris Rose with Neil MacVicar returning to his defensive duties as Nicolson returned to the forward line. Skye continued to threaten and Will Cowie was just a fraction away from getting onto the end of a Jordan Murchison cross and, moments later, Shockie MacLennan chested the ball down and sent a well-struck shot just past Jonathon Oates’ left post as Skye looked to increase their lead. Iain Murray came back on mid-way through the second half with Ally MacLeod heading for the sidelines. A high Will Cowie shot went narrowly by Jonathon Oates’ right post on 69 minutes. Shockie MacLennan took an accidental blow to the head following a battle for possession in the goal area and although he was wearing a helmet, he later required a hospital visit to repair the cut to the top of his ear. MacLennan was replaced by Chris Ross who went back into defence with Neil MacVicar switching to full centre and Allan MacKinnon pushing forward into attack. Skye’s Gilleasbuig MacDonald was booked on 77 minutes for hitting the ball away after he was penalised for a challenge. A 79 minute Calum McLay shot across goal wasn’t far away and Neil MacVicar harshly booked for a midfield swing which caught Craig Anderson earlier in the move. Both sides continued to slug it out before Skye added two late goals to round off the 6-1 win. Iain Nicolson held off a challenge from John Don MacKenzie and brought down a Neil MacVicar shy on 81 minutes and he crashed the ball over Jonathon Oates’ shoulder into the net to make it 5-1. David MacInnes joined the Skye midfield with 7 minutes remaining. Chris MacLennan moved up front with Allan MacKinnon coming off. Jordan Murchison got his fourth goal of the afternoon with just a couple of minutes remaining. Murchison’s initial effort was blocked but his second attempt deceived keeper Jonathon Oates and the ball ended up in the back of the net to round off the 6-1 win. GMA defender John Don MacKenzie took a blow to the hand as he tried to prevent the goal and he carried on for the final couple of minutes plus 60 seconds injury time after treatment. Jordan Murchison, Neil MacVicar and Gilleasbuig MacDonald shone for Skye. Craig Anderson, John Don MacKenzie and Conal Mulholland were best for GMA. Skye remain a couple of points ahead of second place Kilmallie. Both sides have two fixtures remaining, starting with a crucial meeting at the Canal Parks in a fortnight’s time. Skye Camanachd from: Iain MacLeod, Steven Morrison, Ally MacDonald, Ally “Spod” MacLeod, Neil MacVicar, Allan MacKinnon, Gilleasbuig MacDonald, Iain Murray; Will Cowie, Iain Nicolson, Jordan Murchison, Shockie MacLennan (captain), subs Chris MacLennan, Chris Rose, David MacInnes Glasgow Mid Argyll from: Jonathon Oates; John Don MacKenzie, Garry Luke, Conal Mulholland, Mark Bain; Euan Forsyth, Innes MacMillan, Jamie Doherty; Craig Anderson, Calum McLay, Nick Lavin, Scott Anderson; subs none Match Referee – Graham Cameron The match balls were sponsored by Nor-Dan |