Newtonmore clinched a seventh successive Marine Harvest Premiership title following the shinty action on Saturday 1 October 2016.
Marine Harvest Premiership
Kinlochshiel 1 Newtonmore 7
Newtonmore clinched a seventh successive Marine Harvest Premiership title when they beat Kinlochshiel 7-1 in their 3pm throw up at Kirkton.
There was a Saturday morning pitch inspection at Balmacara with the Bught Park put on stand-by. However the Kirkton pitch was ruled able to host not one but two matches so the games went ahead as scheduled.
Kinlochshiel defender Conor Cormack is nearing recovery from a hand injury but this game came too soon for him.
Newtonmore’s Paul MacArthur sat this one out as an accumulation of bookings triggered a one game suspension. Neil Stewart missed out through injury and Jamie Robinson and Michael Russell were unavailable. The visitors started with an unfamiliar midfield of David Fraser, Drew MacDonald and Iain Richardson but their forward line was as experienced as you’ll currently get with Evan Menzies, Fraser MacKintosh, Glen MacKintosh and Norman Campbell taking their positions.
There was also a more familiar look about the Newtonmore scorers as Glen MacKintosh gave them the lead after just 13 minutes and Norman Campbell made it 2-0 from close range on 19 minutes.
There was worse to come for the home side a minute later as the pressure on their goal continued and Glen MacKintosh got his second
Newtonmore’s one-touch shinty was creating chances and Glen MacKintosh completed his hat-trick on 23 minutes
MacKintosh went on to make it four first half goals when he scored 5 minutes before the break, again from close in.
It was a devastating first half performance from Newtonmore and they never gave the home defence a moment’s peace.
Although winning, Newtonmore have not been at their best in recent weeks but this was one of these days when everything clicked and Kinlochshiel were unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end.
Keith MacRae pulled a goal back for ‘Shiel 10 minutes after the restart.
Newtonmore may have eased somewhat during the second 45 minutes but they went on to add to their tally through young substitute Iain Robinson on 70 minutes.
With Scotland’s Shinty / Hurling meeting with Ireland looming, Scotland forward Glen MacKintosh showed that he remains the game’s top scorer when he rounded off the 7-1 win just 5 minutes from time with what was his fifth goal of the afternoon.
The victory confirms that Newtonmore cannot be caught at the top of the table and their final three matches are against Oban Camanachd, Kyles Athletic and Skye Camanachd.
Skye Camanachd 2 Kingussie 1
Skye Camanachd kept their Marine Harvest Premiership survival hopes alive when they beat Kingussie 2-1 at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree.
Skye boss John MacLeod was forced to make a change in defence as Chris MacLennan was out with a nasty eye injury sustained playing football through the week. Neil John Campbell started in his place. Steven Morrison was missing and his brother Danny Morrison had been unwell during the previous 48 hours so he was only able to take a place on the bench.
Kingussie co-managers Russell Jones and Davie Anderson were without defender Rory MacKeachan who served a one match ban for passing through the disciplinary points threshold. Savio Genini, Ryan Borthwick and Rory MacGregor were amongst their other absentees.
Skye took the lead on 9 minutes when Kenny Campbell punished some hesitancy in the visiting defence to score.
Skye suffered a blow when forward Jordan Murchison had to come off with a hamstring problem. Iain Murray came on in his place.
The home side had to make a second first half change just before the break when Neil John Campbell, who was having a good game in defence, had to come off after twisting his knee when making a challenge to clear the ball.
Kingussie pressed for a leveller and James Falconer had twice gone close before Thomas Borthwick equalised on 66 minutes when he scored following an Alexander Michie corner from the right.
Skye restored their lead just a couple of minutes later. Gilleasbuig MacDonald, who had a superb game at full centre, played in a shy from the left and Kenny Campbell picked out Danny Morrison on the Skye right and he thumped the ball home, beating keeper Craig Dawson low at his left post, to make it 2-1.
The meeting doubled up as a contest for the 2016 George Michie Memorial Cup which was presented to Skye captain Neil MacVicar after the final whistle by George’s cousin Willie Urquhart.
This was a tight contest and a first league win of the season for Skye who still have three matches remaining – away to Kinlochshiel, at home to Fort William and away to Newtonmore.
Kingussie have one match left; a trip to Tighnabruaich to face Kyles Athletic.
Lochaber 1 Fort William 0
Lochaber gave themselves a great chance of beating the drop to the Marine Harvest National Division when they beat Fort William 1-0 in their 3pm derby meeting at Spean Bridge.
Lochaber’s Barry MacDonald was free of suspension so he started in midfield. Shaun Nicolson was missing whilst injury restricted Brian MacDonald and Neil MacDonald to places on the bench.
Fort William were without keeper Paul MacKay so outfield player Jack Fraser, who previously represented the North in goal at youth level, took over between the posts. Arran MacPhee started after playing for the seconds against Skye a fortnight earlier.
Both teams made a lively starts with chances created at both ends.
It was Ben Delaney who fired Lochaber in front in 11 minutes. Delaney turned his marker and rifled the ball into bottom left corner of Jack Fraser's goal to make it 1-0.
Lochaber came within a whisker to doubling their lead a minute before the break. Ben Delaney was through with only keeper Fraser to beat. Delaney pushed the ball past the Fort custodian and referee John Angus Gillies initially though the ball had come back into play off the back stanchion. However, after consulting with the goal judge, it was confirmed that the ball had in fact rebounded off the inside of the post so it remained 1-0.
Fort William made a strong start to the second half and Lochaber keeper Callum MacDonald kept his side in front with some good saves.
Jack Fraser pulled of a superb stop to deny Lochaber’s Kevin Ferguson on 70 minutes.
Lochaber managed to stay ahead until the final whistle although Fort William will feel they deserved something from the game.
There was just one booking, Fort William’s Bryan Simpson, for a reckless swing on Zander Ferguson.
Lovat 1 Oban Camanachd 2
A Malcolm Clark double gave Oban Camanachd a 2-1 win over Lovat at Balgate.
This was Lovat’s first match for three weeks and boss John MacRitchie was without Danny Kelly who was banned for an accumulation of bookings. His brother Mark Kelly was also missing with a hand injury, although he had played in recent games without realising his thumb was broken. Lorne MacKay, Calum Macaulay and twins Craig Mainland and Martin Mainland were also unavailable so there was a starting place at wing centre for Bailey MacKay.
A hand injury suffered against Newtonmore a week earlier prevented attacker Andrew MacCuish from taking his usual place in the Oban starting line-up. It was a revamped Oban Camanachd defence which travelled north as Gary McKerracher and Garry Lord were out as was Scott McKillop who served a one game ban for passing through the disciplinary points threshold. Daniel Cameron was back after missing the defeat to Newtonmore the previous Saturday. Fraser Inglis was in charge on the touchline as Iain Hay wasn’t present.
Oban Camanachd took the lead on 17 minutes. The ball was played in to Daniel MacVicar’s feet and he spread the ball to his right where an unmarked Malcolm Clark ran in and he met the ball in line with the penalty spot and he sent a low drive into the bottom left-hand corner of Lovat keeper Stuart MacDonald’s net with the ball appearing to take a bounce on the way in.
Greg Matheson ensured the sides would go into the break on level terms when he scored on 38 minutes. Matheson leathered the ball low past Gavin Stobbart in the Oban goal, beating the big keeper at his left hand post to make it 1-1.
Oban Camanachd almost went back in front from the restart but some hesitancy between two of their forwards allowed Drew Howie to come in and clear the ball away.
Oban had most of the pressure in the second half and they kept pushing for a second goal but some good saves from Stuart MacDonald kept them at bay.
Lovat looked as if they might just hold on until 3 minutes from time when Malcolm Clark scored what proved to be the winner. The goal came when Lorne Dickie hit a shot from distance which Stuart MacDonald saved with his club. Two Oban forwards ran in on the rebound and it was Malcolm Clark who got to the ball first, and he sent the rebound into the net for his second goal of the game to give the Oban side, who spurned a late chance to score a third at the death, the points.
Lovat’s final league fixture is a trip to Kirkton to play Kinlochshiel.
Next up for Oban Camanachd is the visit of Newtonmore to Mossfield this coming Saturday. Iain Hay’s side have been superb at home this season and their only point dropped came in their league meeting with Skye Camanachd.
Glenurquhart 0 Kyles Athletic 0
Glenurquhart and Kyles Athletic shared the points following a 0-0 draw in their 3pm throw up at Blairbeg.
Iain MacLeod continued in goal for Glenurquhart in place of the injured Stuart MacKintosh. Scotland defender John Barr made it back from working abroad but Andrew Corrigan didn’t.
Kyles Athletic had John Whyte back in goal after he missed the win over Skye. However talisman Roddy MacDonald and Dunkie Kerr were amongst their absentees.
Both teams had chances to make the breakthrough but their respective defences were largely on top.
The point, perhaps crucially, moves Glenurquhart a point ahead of Kingussie and Lochaber and five points ahead of Skye Camanachd in the battle to beat the drop.
Marine Harvest National Division
Kilmallie 3 Beauly 2
Kilmallie were presented with the Marine Harvest National Division trophy following their 3-2 win over Beauly at the Canal Parks.
Kilmallie had Ryan Stewart and Robbie MacFadyen back and both started on the bench as part of a fifteen player squad. Beauly were also along usual lines, with Ryan MacKay free of suspension.
Michael Rodger gave Kilmallie an 11 minute lead when he sent a low shot into the bottom corner of the net.
Robbie Brindle equalised on 36 minutes. Jack MacDonald fired in a low, hard shot which was on target and Brindle ran onto the ball and he took a great first touch before slotting the ball into the bottom corner of the net, past Kilmallie keeper Shane Gillies from just outside the D.
However, to the delight of the home support, Liam MacDonald put Kilmallie back in front a couple of minutes before the break when struck the ball home following a goalmouth scramble.
Beauly came back again though and Jack MacDonald scored his 29th goal of the season a minute later with a firm 20 yard drive at an angle which went into the bottom corner of Shane Gillies’ net to make it 2-2 at half time.
Kilmallie were keen to round off the season with a win to preserve their unbeaten record and they did just that on 51 minutes when Duncan Rodger netted a well-taken goal; a powerful 15 yard low shot into the corner of the net following a rebound.
Beauly will have been disappointed not to take something from the game but referee Lachie Wood blew the final whistle and the Kilmallie celebrations could begin.
After the final whistle, Camanachd Association President Jim Barr introduced Jayne MacKay, PA to Marine Harvest Managing Director Ben Hadfield, to present the Marine Harvest National Division trophy to Kilmallie captain Martin Stewart.
Glasgow Mid Argyll 4 Caberfeidh 3
Glasgow Mid Argyll sealed their place in next season’s Marine Harvest Premiership when they beat Caberfeidh 4-3 at Yoker.
Mark Bain was back for GMA whilst forward Calum McLay had recovered from a knock sustained in the previous weekend’s defeat to champions Kilmallie. However full back Ryan Harrison sat this one out after picking up an injury in that game whilst long-term injury victim Euan Murray was also still sidelined.
Caberfeidh welcomed Jamie MacKintosh back into their squad.
When referee Robert Baxter awarded GMA a 16 minute penalty after Calum McLay was brought down inside the D, Craig Anderson stepped up to send a waist-high spot-hit into the net for what was his 21st goal of the season.
However Gavin McLaughlin squared the contest on 21 minutes when he ran onto a long ball forward before chipped the ball over the diving keeper Jonathon Oates.
GMA took a 2-1 lead into the interval when John McNulty fired the ball into the top right corner of the net from the edge of the D following a corner.
Calum McLay was first onto a rebound after the Cabers’ keeper Ewan Pilcher had palmed down a Craig Anderson effort on 50 minutes and McLay flicked the ball over the line to make it 3-1.
Caberfeidh’s cause wasn’t helped when they were reduced to eleven players but fought back though and they were awarded a penalty on 61 minutes when Lawrence Belleni was penalised for falling on the ball inside the D. Craig Morrison converted, although Jonathon Oates got his foot to the ball, to make it 3-2.
The goal gave Caberfeidh a lift and they drew level on 70 minutes. Colin MacLennan collected the ball inside the D and squeezed the ball past the keeper at his near post from a tight angle.
GMA were not to be denied though and Calum McLay got what proved to be the winner. Innes MacMillan floated a free-hit into the D from wide on the left. The ball went through a number of players and left Calum McLay one-on-one with the goalie and McLay confidently slotted the ball into the bottom left corner of the net to make it 4-3.
This rounds off a successful season for GMA and they can look forward to top flight shinty next season.
Marine Harvest North Division 1
Newtonmore 6 Kingussie 1
Newtonmore came out on top, winning 6-1 in their reserve team derby with Kingussie at the Eilan.
Newtonmore were without Iain Robinson and Iain Richardson who were on first team duty at Balmacara.
Kingussie had absentees too including veteran Kevin Thain who was unavailable and youngsters Roddy Young and Alexander Michie who were with their senior side in Portree. Kingussie gave a place at wing centre to youth player Roma Fraser, recently named in the Scotland Womens squad for Shinty / Camogie international against Dublin. Her father Rory Fraser took up his usual position for Kingussie at full back.
Kenny Ross and David Cheyne each bagged doubles for Newtonmore whilst Martin Hall and John MacKenzie got the others. Dylan Borthwick notched the Kingussie goal.
After the final whistle, Newtonmore second team captain Cameron McNiven was presented with the Marine Harvest North Division 1 trophy by Angus MacKay, Marine Harvest Logistics Manager. It was a shinty family affair for the MacKays as Angus MacKay’s wife Jayne MacKay was at the Canal Parks to present Kilmallie with the Marine Harvest National Division trophy.
Kinlochshiel 0 Strathglass 1
Strathglass beat the Kinlochshiel second team 1-0 in their noon throw up at Kirkton.
Kinlochshiel’s Jonnie MacAskill served the second game of a two match ban. However Douglas Campbell was free of his suspension.
Michael Stoke was missing for Strathglass with a hand problem
The only goal of the game came just 5 minutes into the second half when Darren Reid scored for the visitors.
This was the final league match of the season for Strathglass and they finish second in the table, six points behind leaders Newtonmore.
Kinlochshiel have a reserve team meeting with Skye Camanachd this coming Saturday.
Glenurquhart 4 Beauly 0
The Glenurquhart second team beat the Beauly second team 4-0 at Blairbeg.
With Glen keeper Cameron MacLennan ruled out through injury, Gary MacKintosh took over between the sticks.
There was a touch of fortune about the only goal of the first half with the ball going into the visiting net off Beauly’s Sandy Tulloch.
Jed Stoddart made it 2-0 on 54 minutes and he got a second to make it 3-0 on 71 minutes.
Callum Miller rounded off the scoring with a fourth home goal a couple of minutes later.
The victory lifts the Glen into fourth place in the league, above Beauly, and Glenurquhart finish their league programme at home to the Fort William seconds in a fortnight’s time.
This was the Beauly second team’s final league match of the season.
Marine Harvest South Division 1
Lochside Rovers 1 Aberdour 2
Lochside Rovers hosted Aberdour at Mossfield and it was the visitors who took the points with a 2-1 win.
Lochside led at the break thanks to a Ruaraidh Reid own goal.
Alec Mitchell pulled Aberdour level with just 18 minutes remaining and the winning goal came in stoppage time when Finlay Williamson sent a blistering drive into the net to win the game.
The win means Aberdour will finish second in the table, at Lochside’s expense, no matter the outcome of their final match which is against Taynuilt in a fortnight’s time.
Taynuilt P Inveraray P
The meeting between Taynuilt and the Inveraray second team was a Saturday morning casualty as at the Taynuilt Sports Field was ruled unplayable.
Marine Harvest North Division 2
Lochcarron v Aberdeen University W/O
League champions Aberdeen University were given a walk-over when second placed Lochcarron were unable to raise a team for their match at Battery Park.
Aberdeen University, who haven’t played since Saturday 27 August 2016 when they beat the Kilmallie second team, play their final league fixture of the season this coming weekend against the Inverness second team at the Bught Park. An Aberdeen win will mean they have gone through the season with a 100% record and the Students will be presented with the Marine Harvest North Division 2 trophy after that game.
Lochaber P Kilmallie P
The noon second team derby between Lochaber and Kilmallie was postponed on Saturday morning as the pitch at Spean Bridge was unable to take two games.
Marine Harvest South Division 2
Tayforth 5 Bute 0
Tayforth clinched the Marine Harvest South Division 2 title when they beat the Bute second team 5-0 at Levenhall Links.
Andy Scott put Tayforth in front on 27 minutes and Hamish Anderson doubled their advantage with 5 first half minutes remaining.
When Andy Scott got his second a couple of minutes later, Tayforth were in control of the game and they took their 3-0 lead into the break.
Former Kingussie player Hamish Anderson went on to complete his hat-trick with goals on 55 and 60 minutes.
After the match, the Marine Harvest South Division 2 trophy was presented to Tayforth captain Ewan Menzies by Paul MacArthur, Camanachd Association Regional Development Officer – Central.
Dunoon Camanachd P Aberdour P
The match between Dunoon Camanachd and the Aberdour second team has been rescheduled for this coming Saturday.
(All throw ups were at 2.30pm unless the match report says differently. The match reports will be updated as more information becomes available)
(The picture of Newtonmore second team scorers John MacKenzie, David Cheyne and Kenny Ross with the Marine Harvest North Division 1 trophy comes courtesy of Tina Marshall)