The battle to beat the drop from the Marine Harvest Premiership will carry forward to the end of the month following the shinty action on Saturday 15 October 2016.
Marine Harvest Premiership
Skye Camanachd 3 Fort William 1
Skye Camanachd kept their Marine Harvest Premiership survival hopes alive when they beat Fort William 3-1 at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree.
Skye boss John MacLeod was on holiday but tuned in to Cuillin FM’s online broadcast of the match from warmer climes. Donnie MacDonald and Aonghas MacDonald looked after the side and they were without Ally “Spod” MacLeod, who had a hand injury, Neil John Campbell with a knee injury whilst Iain Nicolson was working. The big pre-match team news for the Islanders was that Jordan Murchison had passed a fitness test on a hamstring injury.
This was Fort William’s final match of the season and co-managers Victor Smith and Adam Robertson were without Bryan Simpson through work commitments whilst Sean Cameron was also missing. Indeed the An Aird side’s resources were stretched as they also had a second team fixture against the Glenurquhart seconds at Blairbeg on the same day. So much so that Victor Smith and Adam Robertson along with trainer Henry Milne made up their substitutes bench.
After a rain-free fortnight in Portree, the weather turned damp on the morning of the game. However the pitch was firm and the rain was a minor distraction as the bottom two sides in the division took their starting places.
A late Jordan Murchison goal had earned Skye a 2-2 draw when the sides met at An Aird earlier in the season.
The Islanders started well in this one, shooting towards the Skeabost end of the pitch, and they took the lead after 13 minutes. The excellent James Pringle played in a shy from the left and Kenny Campbell controlled the dropping ball before playing it short to Will Cowie who took a touch at the left of the D before blasting the ball into the net, over Fort William keeper Paul MacKay’s left shoulder, to make it 1-0.
Paul MacKay made a superb save with his caman, above his head, to keep out a fierce Will Cowie shot from the left.
MacKay then used his club to good effect to parry a goal-bound Kenny Campbell back-hand effort from wide on the left as Skye threatened to over-run their opponents.
For all Skye’s first half pressure, they were unable to add to their tally so they took their single goal advantage into the break.
Skye doubled their lead a couple of minutes after the restart. Danny Morrison won the ball in midfield and played it down the Skye left to James Pringle. By the time the ball was played into the danger-area, Danny Morrison had pushed forward and he crashed the ball high into the net to make it 2-0.
Fort William responded well and they set siege on the Skye goal for the next 15 minutes. Daniel Stewart was their main goal threat and he saw a shot saved with his left foot by Skye keeper Jamie Gannon at the expense of a corner.
Gannon then used his legs to keep out another Stewart shot with Skye defender John Gillies playing the rebound to safety.
A Fort William goal was coming and it arrived on the hour mark. Victor Smith, who had come off the bench to replace John Forbes moments earlier, came deep to gather the ball following a Jay MacLeod shy from the left. Smith turned and sent a superb shot, from at least 25 yards out, into the top corner of the net, beating Jamie Gannon at his left side.
Skye full back Steven Morrison, who was forced off with a foot injury against Kinlochshiel a week earlier, had seemed uncomfortable since midway through the first half with a recurrence of the same injury. He was eventually withdrawn with Neil MacVicar dropping back to full back. Chris MacLennan moved from the forward line to the defence and Iain Murray came on in attack.
Victor Smith came within a whisker of setting up a Fort William leveller when he went wide on the right to collect possession. Smith made enough space to play a delightful ball across the goal, with Padraig McNeill just unable to get on the end of it.
However Skye made sure of the points when Will Cowie scored his second goal of the game after 79 minutes. The home side worked the ball forward from a shy on the left and Cowie confidently crashed the ball home to make it 3-1.
There was still time for Paul MacKay to save a Jordan Murchison shot with his foot and for Arran MacPhee to burst forward from Fort midfield before sending the ball high over the bar.
The match was played in good spirit and referee Graham Cameron flashed just one yellow card, early in the contest, to Fort William full back James Tangney for a sliding tackle on Skye forward Will Cowie as he bore in on goal.
This was Skye’s second top flight win of the season. It leaves an incredibly tight mid-table in the division and, with Kingussie and Skye still to play their final league fixtures, only three points currently separate fifth placed Glenurquhart and ninth placed Skye Camanachd.
Fort William can take much from this game into next season and Scotland U21 Head Coach Alan MacRae will be pleased to hear reports of Arran MacPhee’s energetic performance at full centre as he will when he is briefed on the contributions made by Skye duo Will Cowie and John Gillies.
The upshot is that Skye must beat champions Newtonmore at the Eilan at the end of the month by two clear goals to beat the drop at Lochaber’s expense. That is unless Kingussie suffer a heavy defeat against Kyles Athletic at Tighnabruaich that same day which would mean a single goal Skye win could result in Kingussie’s relegation. It’s an unlikely permutation and with Newtonmore due to be presented with their seventh successive Marine Harvest Premiership trophy after the Skye match, they will be in no mood to lose their final game of the season so Skye’s chances seem remote at best. However they have maintained interest in the shinty programme until the final Premiership fixtures of the season.
Newtonmore 2 Kyles Athletic 2
Newtonmore and Kyles Athletic shared the points in a 2-2 draw in difficult conditions in their 1pm throw up at the Eilan.
The sides drew 2-2 in controversial circumstances at Tighnabruaich earlier in the season when Kyles scored late in the game courtesy of disputed penalty.
The home side were forced to make a number of changes for this one and their absentees included Michael Russell who is abroad as well as Drew MacDonald, Jamie Robinson, Iain Robinson, Norman Campbell and Glen MacKintosh. The fixture clashed with the wedding of Joanne Robinson, sister of ‘More midfielder Jamie Robinson, and Inveraray player David Robertson. Youngsters Craig Ritchie and Liam Mullender assumed the wing back roles with veteran Kenny Ross in midfield.
Kyles Athletic had Roddy MacDonald back and the Scotland player started in attack However injured pair Grant Irvine, who did travel to watch the game, and David Zavaroni were still out whilst Dunkie Kerr was unavailable. Donald Irvine started at full back with Callum Miller at buckshee back.
Kyles got their noses in front on 6 minutes. Newtonmore keeper Owen Fraser made a save but he wasn’t able to get the ball away quickly enough and Roddy MacDonald showed great bravery as he dived in to poke the ball home.
Newtonmore equalised midway through the half as Fraser MacKintosh was played through on goal and he slipped the ball home from the edge of the D to make it 1-1 with 22 minutes played.
It looked as if the sides would go into the interval on level terms until seconds before the half time whistle when Kyles’ full back Donald Irvine and ‘More full forward Evan Menzies had come higher up the park. The ball was knocked past them both but Menzies ran through to tuck the ball past keeper John Whyte for his 23rd goal of the season, one behind top scorer Glen MacKintosh, to put ‘More 2-1 ahead at half time.
Roddy MacDonald’s form in the second half of this season will please Scotland Head Coach Ronald Ross and it was MacDonald who drew the visitors for a second time with just 12 minutes remaining. The goal had a touch of fortune about it as MacDonald hit a bobbling shot which deceived keeper Owen Fraser and the ball sneaked into the net to make it 2-2.
There was a late sending off as ‘More’s Liam Mullender was dismissed by referee Innes Wood for a second yellow card with only minutes remaining.
Both teams will take something from the game. It was a good point for Newtonmore considering the calibre of the players that were missing whilst it also maintains their unbeaten league record. Kyles have drawn both their league games with the champions and they become the first side to take a point from the Eilan in the league this season. Their goal difference is such that they will also be guaranteed a second place finish, ahead of Oban Camanachd, if they take at least a point from their final league match of the season at home to Kingussie at the end of the month.
Kinlochshiel 2 Lovat 0
Kinlochshiel scored twice in the second half to beat Lovat 2-0 at Kirkton.
Scotland defender Mark MacDonald was back for Kinlochshiel whilst fellow-internationalist Conor Cormack played a second match on his comeback from a hand injury.
Lovat had a huge absentee list. Defenders Daniel Grieve and Callum Cruden were away at an event in Mull; Kevin Bartlett was taking part in a golf tournament, whilst injury ruled out Craig Mainland and Mark Kelly. Lorne MacKay and Calum MacAulay were also missing and Martin Mainland was a late call-off which, in total, deprived manager John MacRitchie of eight first team players.
Kinlochshiel had most of the pressure in the first half without being able to break Lovat’s resilience.
‘Shiel broke the deadlock on 52 minutes when Keith MacRae celebrated his recall to the Scotland squad by finding space around 22 yards from goal and his low, hard shot beat Scotland team-mare Stuart MacDonald in the Lovat goal to make it 1-0.
Kinlochshiel, who gave youngsters Finlay MacRae and Duncan Matheson a late run out, made sure of the points with 8 minutes remaining and it was Keith MacRae again who did the damage. MacRae took down a high ball from the left and from 15 yards out to the left of the D; he hit a powerful shot past the keeper’s left shoulder to make it 2-0.
The significance of the second goal means Lovat drop to sixth position in the league on goal difference with Glenurquhart moving up a place without playing a game.
Artemis MacAulay Cup winners Kinlochshiel end the season in fourth spot in the division – their highest ever top flight finish.
Marine Harvest National Division
The Marine Harvest National Division fixtures are complete.
Marine Harvest North Division 1
Glenurquhart 1 Fort William 0
The Glenurquhart second team defeated the Fort William second team 1-0 at Blairbeg.
The Glen were without top scorer James MacPherson who was on holiday. Lachie Smith started in defence but they resisted the temptation to include others from their first team squad.
Fort William included veteran Paul Bamber in their side as well as youngsters Dean Williamson and Victor Smith.
The only goal of the match came after 14 minutes. Finlay Robertson played a high ball into the danger-area and when Fort goalie Donnie Walker was unable to get the ball away, Finlay Ralston nipped in to roll the ball over the line to make it 1-0.
The home side, prompted by the excellent Ross MacAulay in midfield, came close to doubling their lead on 63 minutes when Cairn Urquhart, just on as a substitute, pushed forward from midfield and his high shot dipped just under the bar, forcing Donnie Walker to make an eye-catching save.
Glen, shooting towards their favoured shop end in the second half, were again denied by Walker as he kept out efforts from Finlay Ralston and Callum Miller.
At the other end, Glen goalie Cameron MacLennan made a great save to thwart Fort youngster Victor Smith on 78 minutes. MacLennan stopped the ball with his club, high to his left, to keep his side in front.
There was a late-flare up between Glenurquhart’s Lachie Smith and Fort William’s Mark Grant but referee Evan MacRae let both players away with a stern warning.
Scotland Womens Head Coach Stuart Reid, playing in the Glen side, must have been impressed by the touches shown by Fort William substitute Zoe Smith when she entered the fray.
The win means the Glenurquhart seconds finish fourth in the league, a point ahead of fifth placed Skye Camanachd seconds.
Marine Harvest South Division 1
Taynuilt 2 Aberdour 1
Taynuilt climb to fourth in the league after they beat second placed Aberdour 2-1 at the Taynuilt Sports Field.
Duncan Campbell gave Taynuilt the lead on 36 minutes only for the irrepressible Roddy MacColl to draw Aberdour level a minute before the break.
Taynuilt’s Ryan Gillies scored what proved to be the winning goal on 57 minutes.
Taynuilt play their final league match of the season at home to the Inveraray second team on Saturday 29 October and that match completes the Marine Harvest South Division 1 programme.
Marine Harvest North Division 2
Kilmallie 3 Inverness 2
The Kilmallie second team scored late to beat the Inverness second team 3-2 at the Canal Parks.
Inverness has Kenneth Loades in their side and he put them in front after only 8 minutes but Kilmallie U17 player Callum MacDougall made it 1-1 on 22 minutes.
Inverness went back in front on 51 minutes with Scotland U21 cap Charlie MacDonald on target but the home side drew level for a second time through Craig MacIsaac on 62 minutes.
And that’s the way it stayed until 4 minutes from time when Cam Ross netted to give Kilmallie the win.
Kilmallie, with games still remaining, stay sixth in the league whilst Inverness remain in eighth spot.
Marine Harvest South Division 2
The Marine Harvest South Division 2 fixtures are mow complete.
(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 Skye defender Neil MacVicar and Fort William’s Victor Smith comes courtesy of Moreen Pringle)