Skye Camanachd Ladies 3 Glasgow Mid Argyll Ladies 2 | |
04 July 2016 The Skye Camanachd Ladies took a big step towards their first ever Marine Harvest National Division 1 title when they beat Glasgow Mid Argyll Ladies 3-2 at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 25 June 2016. Skye Camanachd Ladies Head Coach Robbie Gordon was without Emma Gordon, Anna MacDonald and Kirsty Dibble who were all on a school trip. GMA travelled with their usual squad and the reigning Marine Harvest National Division 1 champions were determined to secure both points as the title race moved into the closing stages. This was a crucial fixture because although Skye topped the table with two matches remaining, GMA were just two points behind with a game in hand with Lochaber and Badenoch & Strathspey also very much in title contention. Throw up was at noon and there was delayed coverage of the whole match on Cuillin FM’s Camanachd LIVE Show. It was a bright warm day in Portree and the pitch was in excellent condition. Skye played towards the Viewfield end of the ground in the first half and they quickly settled into the game, forcing the early pressure in front of a good-sized crowd. Skye defender Catriona Gibb required treatment after talking a knock in a challenge during GMA’s first attack of the match. A Lorna MacRae shot on the back-hand, from a Catriona Kirk shy, rose just over the bar on 6 minutes. A couple of minutes later, Lorna MacRae sent a bouncing shot past the post after Ilana Paterson had crossed the ball into the danger area. Eleanor Fraser tugged a 22 yard shot past the post as GMA responded. Joan Nicolson latched onto a ball from Alana McGarrie but the ball flew past Sarah Jane Ferguson’s left post. A smart GMA break down the right side saw Kirsty Gray cross to Joan Nicolson but Sarah Jane Ferguson stopped the ball and cleared for a corner. Skye had made the better start but GMA were now back in the contest. Skye fought back and they took the lead on 19 minutes when Lorna MacRae cut an Ilana Paterson shy back into the D and although GMA goalie Stephanie Keenan got her foot to the ball, Caitlin MacLean raced in to raise the rebound into the net to make it 1-0. GMA drew level just 3 minutes later when a Lyndsay Michie shy from the right was swept into the net by Rachel McCafferty who had darted in from the left. GMA made the first change of the match after half an hour as Catriona Stark came on for Lindsay Michie. Then Katie Drain took over in attack from Eleanor Fraser as GMA continued to press without troubling Sarah Jane Ferguson in the Skye goal. Lyndsay Michie returned the field of play with 5 first half minutes remaining and Joan Nicolson was withdrawn. Michie almost made an immediate impact, sending a shot over the crossbar after the Skye defence had failed to clear their lines. Play quickly switched to the other end and Stephanie Keenan made a good save from a Lorna MacRae shot following Catriona Kirk corner from the right. Skye went on to force three more corners as they finished the half on a high and the teams went into the break on level terms. GMA went in front for the first time in the match just a minute after the restart. Lyndsay Michie played a shy to Katie Drain and she knocked the ball forward into the D. Skye tried to get it away but Alana McGarrie forced the ball home to make it 2-1. Skye responded well and Jenna Beaton sent a shot past the keeper’s left post a couple of minutes later. A surging Skye move forward saw Ilana Paterson play the ball to Caitlin MacLean who exchanged passes with Lorna MacRae before keeper Keenan saved MacRae’s shot with her feet and Keenan then saved from Jenna Beaton and Ilana Paterson to keeper her side in front at the expense of a corner. However when Lorna MacRae let Ilana Paterson’s corner form the left run across goal, Caitlin MacLean applied the finishing touch to make it 2-2 with 47 minutes played. Set pieces had been influential in the game with the first two goals coming from shys and the second two goals coming from corners. There was some good goalkeeping from Sarah Jane Ferguson as she came off her line to sweep the ball away to thwart a GMA attack. A tussle between Catriona Kirk and Rachel McCafferty saw Rhianna Kirk step in to defend her younger sister. Skye full centre Rhianna Kirk, although carrying a knee injury, competed well against her GMA counter-part Alana McGarrie as Skye started to dominate in the closing stages. Skye defender Christina MacDonald was carrying out an excellent marking job on GMA top scorer Joan Nicolson. The winning goal came on 62 minutes following a swift Skye move which saw Nicola MacSween break up a GMA attack and she played the ball to Caitlin MacLean on the Skye right. MacLean cut the ball in to Jenna Beaton who quickly slipped ball to Lorna MacRae who ran towards the goal before calmly finishing from just inside the D to make it 3-2. GMA went back on the attack and a low Eleanor Fraser shot went just past Sarah Jane Ferguson’s left post. Good determined play from Jenna Beaton set up a chance for Lorna MacRae but her shot bobbled past the keeper’s right post. Lorna MacRae cut in and sent a shot wide as Skye tried to kill off the match with 9 minutes remaining. Stephanie Keenan did well to get a Jenna Beaton ball into the D away as Lorna MacRae looked to pounce on any mistake. Stephanie Keenan then made a good save with her foot following a Lorna MacRae shot from a Skye free-hit. Caitlin MacLean went close for Skye, driving the ball past the post, before Lorna MacRae sent a shot rising over the junction between post and bar. A nice one-touch Skye move saw the ball played from Jenna Beaton to Caitlin MacLean to Lorna MacRae but keeper Stephanie Keenan came off her line to save well as Skye finished the game on the attack. There was a tense finish to the game but referee Archie Ritchie’s final whistle signalled delight in the Skye camp. This was an exciting encounter with a number of Scottish internationals on show for both sides. Skye now know that a win against Aberdour at Silver Sands in their final league fixture will give them a first ever Marine Harvest National Division 1 title. Skye Camanachd Ladies from: Sarah Jane Ferguson; Catriona Gibb, Christina MacDonald, Nicola MacSween; Catriona Kirk, Rhianna Kirk, Ilana Paterson; Lorna MacRae, Caitlin MacLean, Jenna Beaton subs Holly MacLean, Katherine Dibble, Abby MacLean. Izzy Law, Helen Lamond Glasgow Mid Argyll Ladies: Stephanie Keenan; Christy Doherty, Laura McCafferty, Kirsty McLay; Lyndsay Michie, Alana McGarrie, Rachel McCafferty; Kirsty Gray, Eleanor Fraser, Joan Nicolson; subs Catriona Stark, Katie Drain Scorers Skye Camanachd Caitlin MacLean (19, 47) Lorna MacRae (62) Glasgow Mid Argyll Rachel McCafferty (22) Alana McGarrie (41) Match Referee – Archie Ritchie The match balls were sponsored by Nor-Dan |