Skye Camanachd 1 Lovat 1 (Skye win 2-0 on pens) - UPDATED! | |
29 June 2012 The Skye Camanachd second team reached the Strathdearn Cup semi-finals with a penalty shoot-out win over Lovat at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 23 June 2012. Skye manager Murdo Morrison named a 17 man squad for the 12.30pm throw up and he made six changes to the pool of 15 which lost to Newtonmore in his side’s last outing. Iain Munro, David MacInnes, Stephen Murchison, Mark Mortimer, and Iain Nicolson dropped out of the squad. There were call-ups for John MacLeod, David Grant, Neil John Campbell, Allan MacLeod, Jack Latton and Chris MacLennan. Lovat manager James White was missing Connell MacIllechiar but Calum Macaulay returned for a spell abroad to make his first appearance for the Balgate side for some time. The visitors were also missing keeper Chris MacCallum so forward Jamie Matheson, who was sidelined with a hamstring injury, took over in goal. Skye enjoyed most of the early pressure without really troubling Lovat keeper Jamie Matheson but the visitors looked dangerous on the break. Jamie Matheson did well to save a bouncing Will Cowie shot on 22 minutes and David Grant just failed to get on the rebound. Lovat then went on to threaten the Skye goal with four near things in a four minute spell. First John MacKenzie shot low past the post on 29 minutes. A Rory Campbell strike rose just over the bar on the half hour mark. Then a John MacKenzie turn and shot flew past the post a minute later. John MacLeod in the Skye goal was forced to save a Gavin Macaulay effort on 32 minutes. Having survived this spell, Skye created an opening of their own when a Chris MacLennan shy from the right fell to Will Cowie on 35 minutes and he sent a drive over the bar. Will Cowie and Iain MacLennan combined a couple of minutes later with the latter sending a shot inches over the crossbar. Skye continued to press and another bouncing Will Cowie attempt was saved by Jamie Matheson on 40 minutes and Iain MacLellan put the rebound over the top. Skye suffered a blow a couple of minutes before the break when buckshee back Allan MacLeod twisted his knee and Ally “Spod” MacLeod came on in his place. The final chance of the half fell to the Islanders but David Grant fired into the side-netting. Jamie Matheson had to look lively in the opening minute of the second half as he flicked a Will Cowie shot in the air before palming the ball away to safety. Lovat took the lead on 50 minutes when a ball through the middle caught out the Skye defence and Jimmy MacKenzie needed no second invitation to bullet the ball into the back of the net. The rain had been falling steadily throughout the game but it was now just short of torrential although the under-foot conditions remained good thanks to the excellent drainage on the pitch. David Grant saw a shot saved on the hour mark and Iain MacLellan couldn’t get to the rebound before Jamie Matheson cleared the danger. David Grant set up Will Cowie on 64 minutes but Jamie Matheson saved the resultant shot with his feet and cleared the ball for a corner. However Skye levelled on 66 minutes when Will Cowie collected a ball from the right and rolled a controlled shot into the net to make it 1-1. Jamie Matheson made a flying save to his left to deny David Grant on 69 minutes. A Lovat break-away on 75 minutes saw John MacLeod save a Laura Gallacher snap-shot with his feet. Skye’s Chris MacLennan had been pushed into attack with John MacKenzie coming on to take over the wing centre role. MacLennan sent one shot narrowly past the junction between post and bar on 76 minutes. A couple of minutes later, Calum Macaulay played in Laura Gallacher and John MacLeod had to race from his goal to thwart the young Lovat forward. One goal now would surely win the tie and John MacLeod did well to deny Graham MacMillan on 86 minutes. At the other end a David Grant shot flew wide and extra-time ensued. The first real chance of the extra-time period came on 95 minutes when Will Cowie sent a wicked ball into the D and Jamie Matheson needed the help of Tom Collings to clear the danger. Moments later David Grant collected a ball from Paul MacKinnon and shot wide. Skye’s Chris MacLennan passed up a good chance on 97 minutes when he put a ball into the D just the wrong side of the post. John MacLeod and Magus Burd combined to thwart Lovat from a free-hit on 102 minutes when Laura Gallacher played a dangerous ball into the D. A minute later, MacLeod saved from Calum Macaulay and Jack Latton stopped Laura Gallacher getting on the rebound as Lovat pressed. A Will Cowie ball from the left on 104 landed dangerously in the D but was flicked away by Jamie Matheson and Chris MacLennan fired into the side netting. We saw the best shinty of the game during this first period of time and it was probably no coincidence that the rain had eased which allowed the players to be more creative. Skye had the better of the exchanges in the early period of the second half of extra time without troubling Jamie Matheson in the Lovat goal. Jamie Matheson did well to save a deflected Will Cowie shot on 115 minutes and the keeper swept the ball away for a corner. Will Cowie prevented the Lovat defence from clearing a ball from defence on 117 minutes and Jamie Matheson had to be alert to stop David Grant’s shot with his feet and clear for a corner. The corner on the right was played in by John MacKenzie but put back out of play again by Andrew Wallace. MacKenzie’s second effort from the corner found Iain MacLellan at the back post but Jamie Matheson made a great save from his effort and the rebound fell to Will Cowie who put the ball over the bar. Lovat had pulled Jimmy MacKenzie back as an additional defender for the closing minutes and they continued to deny the Skye attack. Referee Daniel MacRae’s final whistle signaled a penalty shoot-out and the nominated players grabbed towels to dry their soaking camans. First up for Skye was David Grant and he powered his shot low to James Matheson’s left to put Skye 1-0 in front. Jimmy MacKenzie stepped up first for Lovat but he got under the ball and his attempt rose over the bar. Next up for Skye was Stewart Grant and he drove his penalty into the roof to the net to put the Islanders 2-0 ahead. Lovat’s Calum Macaulay didn’t catch his penalty as he would have liked and John MacLeod saved with his feet. Will Cowie was third up for Skye but his effort flew off the surface and went past the post. Graham MacMillan put Lovat’s third penalty over the bar as his wet caman flew out of his hands. Skye’s John MacKenzie had the chance to win the tie but his effort went past Jamie Matheson’s left post. Lovat had to score with their fourth penalty and it was keeper Jamie Matheson who stepped forward to take it. However Skye keeper John MacLeod proved to be the hero with a painful stop which took his team into the last four of the Strathdearn Cup. Best for a subdued Skye side were Andrew Banks, Jack Latton and Magnus Burd. Lovat were well served by keeper Jamie Matheson, defenders Michael Mackenzie and Danny Kelly and Laura Gallacher up front. Skye Camanachd from; John MacLeod, Andrew Banks, Jack Latton, Neil John Campbell, Allan MacLeod, Chris MacLennan, Stewart Grant, Magnus Burd, Paul MacKinnon, Iain MacLellan, Will Cowie, David Grant (captain), subs John MacKenzie, John Angus MacInnes, Ally "Cloudy" MacLeod Lovat from; Jamie Matheson, Michael MacKenzie, Tom Collings, Thomas Fraser, Danny Kelly, Rory Cruden, Graham MacMillan, Andrew Wallace, Calum Macaulay, Laura Gallacher, Rory Campbell, Jimmy MacKenzie, subs Bradley McHardy, Duncan Collings, James White (captain) Match Referee – Daniel MacRae The match balls were sponsored by Nor-Dan |