Skye Camanachd 3 Strathglass 0 | |
08 October 2012 Skye Camanachd beat Strathglass 3-0 in their Marine Harvest North Division 1 meeting at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 6 October 2012. This was the final match of the season for both sides and Skye Camanachd manager Willie MacRae was forced to make five changes from the squad which beat Beauly the previous weekend. Captain Shockie MacLennan, keeper Jamie Gannon, Iain Murray, Steven Morrison and Shaun Hedley were all missing for various reasons for this 1pm throw up. Michael Nicolson took over from Gannon in goal. Iain Nicolson replaced MacLennan in defence, with Neil MacVicar dropping back to full back, whilst Allan MacKinnon took over Murray’s full centre role. There was also a starting slot for 15 year old Will Cowie with Ally “Spod” MacLeod dropping back into defence. Stewart Grant came off the bench to replace Shaun Hedley at wing centre and Chris MacLennan came into the squad and he started on the bench. Jordan Murchison, Gilleasbuig MacDonald, Chris Rose, John Moir and Iain Morrison all remain on the Skye Camanachd injury list whilst Jamie MacDonald served the second game of a two match ban. Strathglass put their team raising difficulties from last week behind them and manager Robert Geddes welcomed ex-Beauly player Innes Simpson back to the side after he was injured in his debut against Lochcarron in mid-July. However Strathglass were also short of their regular line-up and they travelled with just one substitute. Michael Stokes, Ally Rothe and Les Fraser were amongst the players unable to make the trip. Skye attacked from the throw up and Danny Morrison and Ally MacDonald combined to set up a shooting chance for Aonghas MacDonald but his effort went wide. Strathglass keeper Steve MacLaughlan didn’t connect properly with the goal-hit and the ball was stopped by Aonghas MacDonald who reacted quickest and forced the ball over the line to put the Islanders 1-0 up with less than 2 minutes played. Strathglass full centre Innes Simpson suffered a back injury in the opening minutes although he carried on until around the hour mark before being replaced. Skye enjoyed most of the earlier pressure but in one break-away, saw a shot from Strathglass wing forward Donald Fraser flash across the face of the goal. Skye defender Ally “Spod” MacLeod had to come off after 18 minutes when he suffered a blow to the knee when challenging Robert Geddes as the Strath hit-man fired over. Magnus Burd came on in place of MacLeod. Skye continued to press without working visiting keeper MacLauchlan. Skye’s Ally MacDonald had the ball in the net from a Aonghas MacDonald set-piece on 28 minutes but the effort was ruled out as referee Evan MacRae had not blown his whistle for the free-hit to be taken. When the free-hit was taken, Aonghas MacDonald found Ally MacDonald again but this time he failed to hit the target. Danny Morrison had been causing the visiting defence problems and he saw a great backhand effort deflected by full back George Phimmister and keeper MacLauchlan put the ball out for a corner. Darryl Macintosh played in the resultant corner from the right; it was missed by a couple of Skye forwards and fell for Aonghas MacDonald. His shot came off George Phimmister’s leg which wrong-footed keeper MacLauchlan and the ball ended up in the corner of the net. Skye led 2-0 and there was an element if fortune about both their goals. A couple of minutes later, Donald Fraser drifted a 40 yard effort just wide of target. Aonghas came within a whisker of completing his hat-trick on 38 minutes when he collected a Will Cowie cross from the left but his shot went just past the post. Strathglass almost pulled a goal back on 41 minutes when they were awarded a free-hit 30 yards from goal which found Robert Geddes. However Skye keeper Michael Nicolson chested down the shot from Geddes and he eventually managed to clear the ball for a corner. Skye full centre Allan MacKinnon took a short pass from Will Cowie a minute later and he sent a super shot just past the junction between post and bar. On the stroke of half-time, Will Cowie beat his marker and broke down the Skye left before seeing his shot saved by Steve MacLauchlan. Strathglass created the first real chance of the second half on 53 minutes when Robbie Stokes fought off a couple of challenges before shooting inches over the bar. The Skye forwards conjured up an opportunity on 57 minutes when Will Cowie found Ally MacDonald who slipped a perfectly weighted pass to Aonghas MacDonald and his shot went a whisker wide of target. Skye’s Allan MacKinnon tried again from distance on 59 minutes and this time Steve MacLauchlan did fantastically well to tip MacKinnon’s drive over the bar. Skye went close again on the hour mark. Stewart Grant got on the end of a ball across goal and he cut inside but MacLauchlan spread himself to deny the Skye midfielder. Skye keeper Michael Nicolson was called into action a couple of minutes later and he had to spread himself to deny Robert Geddes who had been put through on goal. Skye manager Willie MacRae introduced his remaining substitutes with John Angus MacInnes and Chris MacLennan coming on to replace Aonghas MacDonald and Will Cowie. However Cowie came back on moments later as Iain Nicolson took a knock and had to come off although he did return later in attack. Ally MacDonald dropped back into defence. Steve MacLachlan made another spectacular save to deny Danny Morrison on 71 minutes. Will Cowie played a neat pass to Chris MacLennan on 76 minutes but after a deft turn, the youngster’s shot went just the wrong side of the post. However Skye were not to be denying and they increased their lead on 77 minutes. There was a scramble in the Strathglass goal area and the visiting defence only managed to clear the ball as far as Stewart Grant who assessed the situation before shooting through a ruck of players past the unsighted MacLauchlan to score his first goal for the senior team. Ally MacAdams came close to pulling a goal back for the visitors on 79 minutes but Michael Nicolson was on hand to deflect the ball for a corner. Strathglass defender George Phimmister picked up the only yellow card of the game just 4 minutes from time when he was yellow carded for a lash at John Angus MacInnes. The two points leave Skye in second place in the table,six points ahead of third place Caberfeidh. Danny Morrison, who enjoyed a good contest with Darren Reid, and Stewart Grant were best for the Islanders whilst Darren Reid and keeper Steve MacLauchlan put in a good shift for Strathglass. Skye Camanachd; Michael Nicolson, Neil MacVicar, Ally “Spod” MacLeod, David Grant, Iain Nicolson, Darryl Macintosh, Allan MacKinnon, Stewart Grant, Danny Morrison, Ally MacDonald, Will Cowie, Aonghas MacDonald, subs John Angus MacInnes, Magnus Burd, Chris MacLennan Strathglass from; Steve MacLauchlan, George Phimmister, Aaron Redpath, Andrew Fraser, Darren Reid (captain), Seth Jones, Innes Simpson, Ally MacAdams, Donald Fraser, Neal Hemmingway, Robbie Stokes, Robert Geddes, sub Hamish Myers Match Referee – Evan MacRae The match balls are sponsored by Nor-Dan |