The Shinty Round Up – Saturday 3 March 2018 | |
04 March 2018 The “Beast from the East” wreaked havoc with the shinty fixtures with only one match going ahead as the 2018 shinty season got off to a faltering start on Saturday 3 March 2018.
Marine Harvest Premiership Kinlochshiel 4 Glenurquhart 0 Marine Harvest champions Kinlochshiel took advantage of their title rivals inactivity when they scored four second half goals to finally see off Glenurquhart at Kirkton. ‘Shiel’s bid for a second successive title only got underway after referee Deek Cameron had run the rule over the hard surface but he was in no doubt that the game should go ahead. . Home manager Johnston Gill was without Oliver MacRae and Scott MacLean who are both abroad. Donald Nixon missed the pre-season for the same reason but he came straight into the starting line-up for this one. Ally Nixon started in place of Oliver MacRae in attack whilst Duncan MacRae, Martin MacRae and Andrew MacKenzie made up a young ‘Shiel bench. Iain MacLeod’s Glenurquhart side were the only team to record a league win against Kinlochshiel during the west coast side’s 2017 title winning season. MacLeod was without the influential John Barr who has just had an operation on a troublesome injury whilst Andrew Corrigan, Connor Golabeck and the suspended Lachie Smith were notable absentees. Injury also ruled out James Hurwood, Euan Lloyd and Calum Smith. Ally MacKintosh started at full back and Michael Fraser at buckshee back. John Peteranna made a first senior start at wing back and young Finlay Robertson completed the back four. Kinlochshiel played down the slope in the first half and Keith MacRae’s shot from wide on the left flashed across the face of the goal in the opening minutes. Glen responded and a surging Fraser Heath run ended with a shot from the buckshee forward which keeper Scott Kennedy saved with his legs and Mark MacDonald put the rebound out for a corner. Stuart MacKintosh showed that he is back to his best following injury when he made an outstanding save to deny Keith MacRae. MacRae struck the ball well from the ‘Shiel left and it was heading for the net, high over the goalie’s left shoulder. However MacKintosh showed great reactions, stretching to turn the ball away with his caman for a corner on the ‘Shiel right. Some nice passing from ‘Shiel ended with a Jordan Fraser attempt which went past the keeper’s right post. Some more good pass and move shinty from ‘Shiel created a chance for John MacRae but his effort took a deflection and went out for another corner. Glen full centre David MacLennan sent a dangerous ball into the ‘Shiel goalmouth and keeper Kennedy went down on his knees to guard his right post and the ball bounced just wide as the contest approached the 30 minute mark. Another great save from Stuart MacKintosh, with his club high by his right post, kept out a John MacRae strike from the left. A Finlay MacRae ball into the D bounced on the firm surface but MacKintosh got his body behind it and the corner count continued to rise. The flurries of snow became more frequent on what was a bitterly cold day and Glen forward Bradley Cameron had to come off for treatment to a leg muscle injury so Cairn Urquhart took over. Ally Nixon cracked a shot into the side-netting, to the keeper’s right, as the hosts continued to try to break the deadlock. Nixon then sent a bouncing shot across the goal, this time from the right, with just 6 first half minutes remaining. There was some late pressure from the Glen as the half drew to a close and a shot from full forward James MacPherson was stopped with his legs by Scott Kennedy and as the rebound rose in the air, Kennedy slapped the ball away for a corner. It was the last action of the first half but ‘Shiel returned on the offensive from the restart and they were awarded a penalty within the opening minute of the second period when referee Deek Cameron penalised a “kick” inside the D. The normally reliable Jordan Fraser stepped up but he blasted the spot hit well wide of the junction between post and bar to the keeper’s right. Ally Nixon passed up a chance when he failed to properly connect with a ball from the right after good combination play from Jordan Fraser and John MacRae. The ‘Shiel centre line of Donald Nixon, Finlay MacRae and Duncan “DA” MacRae, with the latter playing in trainers, were providing plenty ball for the home forwards and it seemed only a matter of time before they would break Glen’s resistance. The crucial goal came on 53 minutes as strong play from John MacRae around the penalty spot saw him hold the ball and pick out Jordan Fraser. This time Fraser made no mistake, despatching the ball low and hard into the net, beating the keeper on his right side. Glenurquhart suffered a blow on 64 minutes when David MacLennan had to limp off and he required strapping on a knee problem. Eddie Tembo moved from wing centre to full centre. ‘Shiel went back on the attack and Stuart MacKintosh saved well at his right post from John MacRae midway through the half. Referee Deek Cameron had a calming word with Ally MacKintosh after his swing caught John MacRae on the back of the legs. Ali Nixon was next to test the Glen goalie but MacKintosh made another stop, low by his left post. However MacKintosh was beaten on 71 minutes as Ali Nixon was rewarded for his efforts, steering the ball low through a crowded goal area and into the net to make it 2-0. A rare Glen attack saw Cairn Urquhart force a fine Scott Kennedy save with a shot from well out on the left. The keeper turned the ball away for a corner with his stick. Play switched back to the other end and Keith MacRae raced for a ball on the ‘Shiel left and, with Ally MacKintosh closing him down, MacRae fired goalwards. Stuart MacKintosh dived low to his left to turn the ball away although in might just have being going wide in any case. Donald Nixon was next to try his luck as he disposed his marker but his shot scooped over the junction between bar and post. ‘Shiel added a third on 81 minutes. Jordan Fraser’s shot came off the inside of the post and Keith MacRae turned the rebound home with the visitors claiming for offside. Stuart MacKintosh used his body to block a Jordan Fraser shot after good play from Keith MacRae and the Reds had to settle for another corner. Kinlochshiel’s Scotland forward Keith MacRae, who hit the net last season more times than a suicidal salmon, got his second with just 5 minutes remaining. This was the goal of the game and came when a long, high diagonal ball from midfield bounced on the ‘Shiel left and Keith MacRae smashed a shot on the half-volley, with his spectacular effort beating the keeper under his crossbar to make it 4-0. Keith MacRae and John MacRae were immediately replaced up front by youngsters Martin MacRae and Duncan MacRae. The game’s last action saw Stuart MacKintosh save twice in quick succession to prevent Finlay MacRae adding his name to the score-sheet. Kinlochshiel ended a good afternoon’s work with two points, four goals and a clean sheet. Their only concern emerged later. Full back Paul MacRae suffered a blow to the elbow midway through the second half but was able to continue after treatment. However news broke after the match that a hospital visit and subsequent operation will now keep him sidelined for a period of time. Glenurquhart’s season won’t be defined by this game. It’s a season where they will look to bring on a number of their younger players and Stuart MacKintosh’s return from injury is a major plus whilst they’ll be stronger for the return of Andrew Corrigan, Connor Golabeck and Lachie Smith.
Oban Camanachd gave their Mossfield pitch every chance to be playable ahead of their meeting with newly promoted Skye Camanachd but a Saturday morning pitch inspection led to a call-off. The other top flight fixtures fell foul of the weather during Friday as Kingussie’s meeting with Caberfeidh at The Dell, Lovat’s match against Newtonmore at Balgate and the clash between Lochaber and Kyles Athletic at Spean Bridge were all postponed.
Marine Harvest National Division On Saturday morning, the only Marine Harvest National Division match that had a chance of going ahead was the clash between Kilmallie and Oban Celtic at The Canal Parks. However this contest was also called off because of a frozen pitch and reversing the game to Mossfield wasn’t an option. The games between Fort William and Beauly at An Aird, Glasgow Mid Argyll and Inveraray at Yoker and Inverness and Strathglass at The Bught Park were all postponed.
Marine Harvest North Division 1 The meeting between the Glenurquhart and Fort William second teams at Blairbeg was the last in the division to be postponed. There was also disappointment for champions Newtonmore reserves as their match against Aberdeen University was postponed as The Eilan was unplayable. Glengarry’s game against the Kingussie colts at Craigard and Skye Camanachd’s reserve team derby against Kinlochshiel at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree were both also postponed due to unplayable pitches.
Marine Harvest South Division 1 Lochside Rovers were to open the defence of their Marine Harvest South Division 1 title against Taynuilt at The Taynuilt Sports Field. It was the last South 1 game to fall victim to the weather but the match was called off on Saturday morning. Earlier, the division’s remaining games fell to failed pitch inspections so the Inveraray seconds against Ballachulish at The Winterton, Aberdour and Bute at Silversands, Kilmory and the Kyles Athletic colts at MacRae Park and Tayforth and Col Glen at Levenhall Links will all be rescheduled.
Marine Harvest North Division 2 The entire Marine Harvest North Division 2 programme was wiped out. Unplayable pitches led to the postponements of the games between the Lochaber and Beauly second teams at Braeview Park, Strathspey Camanachd and the Kilmallie reserves at Grantown Grammar School, the Strathglass and Inverness second teams at Cannich, Boleskine and Lochcarron at Farr and the Caberfeidh colts against Lewis Camanachd at Castle Leod.
Marine Harvest South Division 2 The Oban Celtic second team’s return to league action will have to wait a week as their game against the Bute second team will be rescheduled. Strachurmore was unplayable so Strachur’s clash with the Glasgow Mid Argyll second team was postponed whilst travel difficulties led to Glenorchy’s match against the Aberdour second team at Mart Park being called off.
WCA Round Up The wintery weather also affected the Women’s Camanachd Association fixtures with only one match going ahead. In Marine Harvest North Division 2, Kinlochshiel Ladies, managed by former ‘Shiel first team manager Colin Fraser, copied their men’s senior side by being the only team to play as they welcomed Strathglass to the Plockton High School astro pitch. This was the fledgling ‘Shiel side’s first competitive outing and they competed well despite going down 5-0. Freya Strachan scored twice whilst Eleanor Mann, Cassie Dorrian and Mattie Jones got the others to give Strathglass victory. In the same division, the games between the Skye Camanachd seconds and Inverness at Pairc nan Laoch, Glengarry and Glenurquhart at Craigard and Lovat and the Lochaber seconds at Balgate were all postponed. In Marine Harvest South Division 2, the meetings between Dunadd and Cowal & Bute, the Glasgow Mid Argyll seconds and Tayforth and Oban Lorn and the Ardnamurchan seconds were all postponed. |