The Shinty Round Up – Saturday 26 May 2012. | |
30 May 2012 The three remaining Balliemore Cup quarter final ties and shinty’s first Orion Group Premiership Derby Day took place on Saturday 26 May 2012.
Balliemore Cup – Quarter Finals Oban Camanachd 2 Lochaber 3 The tie of the round was the meeting between Oban Camanachd and Lochaber at Mossfield where it took two hours to separate the sides. Oban Camanachd went into the game with injury and suspension problems. Gary Lord was out with a foot injury and James MacMillan, Craig MacMillan and Alan MacGregor were all banned. Lochaber were along usual lines although captain Hughie Innes was unavailable so Zandz Ferguson started at full centre. Both sides have had success in the cups this season which has meant they have both played only 5 league fixtures – fewer than any other teams across the five divisions. Lochaber had the best of the early exchanges and they took a first half lead through Stuart Callison. However Oban Camanachd rallied for the last 15 minutes of the first half and they started the second half on top. They got their reward when and Iain MacMillan double swung the advantage their way. However Lochaber fought back and Shaun Nicolson equalised 4 minutes from time. Oban Camanachd’s Matt Rippon, who lined-up in defence, protested that there had been a foul in the lead up to the goal. However he took his remonstrations much too far and he was sent off by referee Innes Wood. There was no further scoring so the tie went into an extra-time period. Stuart Callison proved to be the Lochaber hero when, just as he did against Kingussie the previous week, he grabbed the winning goal to make it 3-2. There were ugly scenes at the end of the game, again involving Oban Camanachd's Matt Rippon, which seem sure to prompt a Camanachd Association enquiry. Lochaber face Glasgow Mid Argyll in the last four of the competition. Skye Camanachd 1 Glasgow Mid Argyll 2 Glasgow Mid Argyll came from a goal down to beat Skye Camanachd 2-1 at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree. Click on the following link to read the match report in full Beauly 6 Inverness 1 A Marc MacLauchlin hat-trick helped Beauly to a 6-1 win over Inverness at Braeview Park. Beauly co-managers Stephen MacLean and Iain Morrison were without the injured Kenneth MacKenzie and Martin MacFadyen. Somhairle MacDonald and Connor Golabeck were amongst the returning players for the Capital side. However David Wylde was still working off-shore. The visitors took the lead on 22 minutes when referee Graham MacMillan awarded them a penalty. Connor Golabeck stepped up to convert from the spot. Ross Forbes scored for Beauly on 38 minutes to ensure that the sides went into the break all-square. However the second half belonged to Beauly and Marc MacLachlan in particular. The Beauly forward put his side ahead for the first time in the tie a minute into the second half. Jack MacDonald made it 3-1 on 56 minutes whilst MacLachlan went on to complete his hat-trick with strikes on 68 and 73 minutes. Jack MacDonald got his second 6 minutes from time to seal a 6-1 win and give Beauly a quarter final meeting with Kilmory.
Orion Group Premiership – Derby Day Kingussie 2 Newtonmore 2 The first Badenoch derby of the season took place at the Dell as Kingussie hosted near-neighbours Newtonmore in a 4.15pm throw up in front of a live BBC Alba TV audience. Lee Bain missed Kingussie’s defeat to Lochaber last weekend but he returned to take up his usual place in defence. Paul Gow and Martin Dallas both made substitute appearances following injury last weekend and both started. Fraser Munro was also available but he will miss next week’s Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup trip to Kirkton to play Kinlochshiel through suspension. Danny MacRae remained absent with a knee injury for Newtonmore whilst Chris Sellar was suspended. Evan Menzies started in attack after scoring twice for the Newtonmore reserve side against Kingussie the previous night. Kingussie drew first blood through Ronald Ross when he beat Michael Richie after 16 minutes. ‘More skipper John MacKenzie, who had replaced the injured Fraser MacKintosh, equalised for on 34 minutes. The lead didn’t last long though as Ronald Ross got his second a couple of minutes later to put the Kings back in front after Michael Ritchie had left his goal to try and foil a Kings attack. Kingussie suffered a blow when Lee Bain was red carded by referee Deek Cameron following a clash with Ackie MacRae. The ‘More man escaped punishment although he seemed to be equally involved. Calum Stewart, who scored twice for the ‘Newtonmore reserves in their derby win the previous night, earned Newtonmore the point with a goal 11 minutes from time which keeps them at the top of the table on goal difference. Lovat 5 Glenurquhart 1 Local rivalries were renewed at Balgate where Lovat played Glenurquhart for the first time this season and the home side took the bragging rights with a 5-1 win. Lovat were along usual lines whilst Glenurquhart’s absentees included Scottish international Andrew Corrigan who was out injured with a broken toe, Ruairidh Cameron, Eddie Tembo and Liam Girvan. However Neale Reid proved his fitness to start in attack. Glen’s John Barr was given the early task of marking Lovat danger-man Greg Matheson. Lovat racked up a 2-0 lead at the break with Greg Matheson getting the opener on 15 minutes and Martin Bell getting the second on 36 minutes. Two goals early in the first half put Lovat in command. Owen Ferguson made it 3-0 on 49 minutes and Greg Matheson got his second a couple of minutes later. Greg Matheson completed his hat-trick on 67 minutes when Evan MacRae awarded the home side a penalty for a kick inside the D. Matheson made no mistake from the spot. Ewan Menzies got some consolation for the Glen with a 75 minute strike but Lovat took the points and they are now in third place, a point behind leaders Newtonmore. This was a good performance from Lovat and they were well served by defenders Drew Howie and Michael MacKenzie as well as Lorne MacKay who made some telling passes from the wing centre position. Kilmallie 1 Fort William 3 Kilmallie and Fort William clashed at the Canal Parks in a 3pm throw up which was the first of two consecutive meetings between the sides. Kilmallie were without captain John Stewart who served the second game of a two match suspension. Fort William missed the services of Gary Innes because of commitments with his band Manran. Defender Steven Stewart served a one match ban for a points accumulation. Daniel Stewart gave Fort William the advantage when he scored the only goal of the first half 5 minutes before the break. A second half brace from Ryan Campbell on 63 and 68 minutes gave Fort William a 3-0 lead although Martin Stewart pulled a goal back for the home side 4 minutes from time. Bute 0 Kyles Athletic 1 Kyles Athletic crossed the water to the Meadows to play Bute and they returned home with both points following a 1-0 win. This was only the Islanders third home league match of the season, following a draw with Kilmallie and a defeat to Kingussie. Roddy MacDonald’s goal on the stroke of half time was all that separated the sides/ This means Kyles go level on points with Newtonmore at the top of the table although they have played a game more. Inveraray 7 Kinlochshiel 1 The one exception to the top division derby programme was the 3pm meeting between Inveraray and Kinlochshiel at the Winterton. The home side went into the tie in confident mood after reaching the AJG Parcels Glasgow Celtic Society Cup Final last weekend. ‘Shiel started with Finlay MacRae in attack against Kilmallie last weekend and he seems to be over his hamstring problems. His brother Keith MacRae picked up a hand injury in training this week but he played even though his thumb turned out to be broken in two places. However Gordie MacDonald missed out with a knee injury and Fraser MacVicar is also a longer-term absentee because of work commitments. Finlay MacRae put ‘Shiel ahead after 8 minutes but they had no answer to a rampant Inveraray who went on to net seven times. Russell MacKinlay levelled on 20 minutes and Euan MacMurdo put the home side in front 4 minutes later. Russell MacKinlay got his second on 32 minutes and Garry MacPherson made it 4-1 at the break with a 40 minute strike. Euan MacMurdo got his second and Inveraray’s fifth a couple of minutes into the second half and Ruairidh Graham made it 6-1 on 58 minutes. Andrew MacMurdo got in on the act on the hour mark to make it 7-1. All seven Inveraray goals came in a 40 minute burst and there there was no further scoring.
Marine Harvest North Division 1 Lochcarron 1 Caberfeidh 5 Lochcarron went down 5-1 to Caberfeidh at Battery Park. The home side had a free week last Saturday whilst Cabers had climbed to third in the table after wins over Beauly and Strathglass. Allan MacKenzie gave Lochcarron an 8 minute lead but Cabers drew level just 6 minutes later through Stuart Kryzanowski. A Kevin Bartlett double on 20 minutes and 40 minutes put the visitor 3-1 up at the break. Kevin Bartlett completed his hat-trick a minute into the second half and Arron Ross completed the scoring to make it 5-1 just 4 minutes from time. The win takes Caberfeidh level on points with second place Lochaber who were on Balliemore Cup duty.
Marine Harvest South Division 1 Glenorchy 3 Oban Celtic 0 Glenorchy beat Oban Celtic 3-0 at Dalmally. Glenorchy showed great fighting spirit in the Balliemore Cup against Beauly last weekend as they came from 2-0 down before eventually losing 3-2 after extra-time. Kenny Wotherspoon returned from suspension for Davy Hamilton’s Oban Celtic side. Scottish U17 international Gary McKerracher was also available for the visitors ahead of a one match ban which kicks-in this coming week. Duncan Smith got Glenorchy off to a great start with a goal in the opening minute and Lorne Brown made it 2-0 just before the half time whistle. Kieran MacKay added a third 15 minutes from time and the win takes Glenorchy level on points at the top of the table with Oban Camanachd and Glasgow Mid Argyll. Strachur 2 Taynuilt 2 Strachur and Taynuilt shared the points following a 2-2 draw on the banks of Loch Fyne. Angus Campbell and Alistair Mirlees counted for the home side whilst Michael MacQueen and Stuart Scott were on target for Taynuilt. Kilmory 4 Aberdour 1 Alex Cunningham scored twice as Kilmory had a 4-1 home win over Aberdour. Steven Gilmour and Hal Jones each scored double as Kilmory won the corresponding fixture 6-1 in Fife on the opening day of the shinty season. This time an Alex Cunningham double and efforts from Steve Gilmour and Andrew Cunningham counted for Kilmory whilst Lewis Nicol replied for Aberdour. (more to follow) |