The View From The Touchline

This Missing Scotland Players

16 October 2008

It’s been the view of many for a few years now that when the shinty / hurling internationals come around, the Irish don’t quite seem to take the senior game as seriously as we do. This is based on the fact that many of their main players, for whatever reason, don’t participate in the match. They tend to use the occasion to give international honour to some of their players who don’t often get the opportunity to play on the big stage.

This year, the GAA has heralded the inclusion of Kilkenny’ All-Ireland winning trio Derek Lyng, Tommy Walsh and Eddie Brennan as well as Cork’s Sean Og O hAilpin. It’s not exactly a resounding change in policy from the selectors but welcome all the same.

However this year, perhaps more than any other, the talk in Scotland has been about the players missing from our side of the water. A Scotland senior and under 21 travelling party with no representation from Marine Harvest Premier League champions Kingussie will be surprising to many an on-looker. Newtonmore, who are favourites to secure second place in the league, only have one representative between the 38 players selected for both squads. Camanachd Cup winners Fort William are better represented with 4 players in the senior squad – following John MacDonald’s withdrawal – and 2 in the under 21 squad.

So whilst injuries are a factor in some instances, why aren’t more players from our top sides included?

• Is there just a general apathy towards the shinty / hurling international?
• Is club shinty regarded as more important?
• Would an Irish side including all their top players be a greater attraction?
• Do the rules of the game need refreshing?
• Do top players just need a break after another long season?
• Is there too much commitment involved with the various pre-squad trials/training sessions?       

At least the Scots have some consistency with their selection. Carlow’s Des Shaw is the only Irish player who played in last year’s senior clash although Declan Coulter from Armagh and Sligo’s Michael Gilmartin step up to the senior squad after playing in last year’s under 21 match. The Scots have 8 players who played in last year’s senior match – Scott McNeil, Neil Robertson, Gary Innes, John Barr, Kenny Ross, Finlay MacRae, John Stewart and Hector Whitelaw – whilst Stewart MacKintosh and Crisdean MacRae also step up to the senior squad after playing in last year’s under 21 match.  

The missing Scottish players include Kingussie’s talisman Ronald Ross, Ali MacLeod, Fraser Inglis and James Hutchison.

Newtonmore’ Norman Campbell is injured but Danny MacRae was selected last year and David Cheyne could also stake a claim for a place.

Inveraray players Gary MacPherson, Douglas Dando, and David Robertson also stake a claim. 

Even Fort William, who are better represented than the others, could have James Clark, Gordie MacKinnon, Chris Bamber and Bryan Simpson included in the squads and that's before John MacDonald's withdrawal.

It maybe that the players selected are considered the best although it is unusual that 10 players from Marine Harvest North Division 1 are selected with just 9 from the Marine Harvest National Premier League. It seems that it’s not just the Irish who give this fixture the respect it deserves.

The commitment shown by those players involved is not in question. Indeed Lochcarron’s Alan MacKenzie will interrupt a family holiday in Lanzarote to take part and rejoin his family after the game.   

Neither is this a dig at the selectors as many of the missing players are either injured or have made themselves unavailable for selection. Unless shinty gets to the root of the problem, the shinty / hurling international could die a death in front of our eyes.   

The View from the Touchline Main Stand

The Camanachd Cup Final 2008

Saturday 13 September 2008

The Camanachd Cup Final is a great day out. It provides the chance to catch up with old friends from throughout planet shinty. It provides the opportunity to watch wall to wall shinty from 10.30 in the morning until 5pm at night. It provides the chance to see the game’s development sides and the best of youth shinty which is all excellent value for £10.00.

Of course it also serves up the main event which this year brought together the two dominant sides in the game, Kingussie and Fort William. Much of the talk before the game surrounded how each team would deal with their opponents’ chief goal threat – Ronald Ross and James Clark.

Fort William were well aware of Ross’ goal threat before the game. They received a further reminder after only 4 minutes when the game’s most prolific scorer found space on the left, dragged the ball wide of Robertson and sent a backhand shot into the net with such velocity that it was impossible for the naked eye to follow its path. 

The treatment Ross received throughout the game – especially the last 20 minutes of the first half – could be considered as tactical and a means to eliminating the opponent’s main threat. However it could also be considered thuggish, not pleasing on the eye and if fact enough to get shinty stopped.

Fort William defenders were not shy with the caman when Ross was around. Graham Bamber was booked for a nasty challenge in he first half when Ross had sprinted clear of Robertson.

There were instances in the first half when Robertson simply used his caman and body to block and obstruct Ross, and even stand on his toes! Ross was extremely fortunate that he was wearing a helmet when one challenge saw his opponent’s caman crash off the top of his head.

The selection of a referee who tends to let the game flow suited Fort William. A less lenient referee would have come down much harder, much earlier on the perpetrators.  

The television coverage gave an insight into the referee’s train of thought as he was wired with a microphone for all to hear. He issued Robertson with a final warning after 23 minutes and another final warning a minute before the interval. How it took until 65 minutes for Robertson to be eventually yellow carded was a mystery to most. Referring to Ross and Robertson, he was often heard to comment that both players were at it.      

Kingussie were no angels but nothing on the scale of the treatment handed out to Ross.

The methods used against Ross are either allowed within the rules of the game, which means that the rules need to be looked at if we are to protect the games skilful players. Alternatively the methods used were out-with the rules of the game which means that the referee should be given feedback on his performance. There is a full recording of the match and it could be used a training exercise for all referees.

There were many impressionable youngsters at the final, some who will copy what they saw during the match when they next play. That is not good for the development of the game.

I heard that Camanachd Association President Duncan Cameron made comment on the methods used by Fort William in his speech at the after dinner meal. He is to be applauded for this but its action that is required if our game isn’t to descend into little more than a battle.     

However that aside, although Kingussie controlled most of the first half, Fort William had chances which they didn’t convert. Drew McNeil made tactical changes at half time, introducing Gordie MacKinnon and moving John MacDonald to the centre line at the expense of Graham Bamber. These changes won the midfield battle and contributed to winning the game.

It was surprising that Kingussie kept Ross at full forward for so long when he might have had more success moving away from the attentions of Robertson. Kingussie might also have had more success with the ball over the top when Ross was taking his marker deeper up the park. They rely so heavily on Ronald Ross that they struggled to come up with an alternative plan when he was unable to contribute.

James Clark’s goals were sublime. He was afforded the space to turn and shoot and he punished Kingussie in the most stunning fashion. The performances of Chris Bamber and John MacLeod must have run him close for the Albert Smith medal.

So its congratulations to Fort William but some of their methods left a sour taste in the mouth.

The View from the Touchline

The Shinty Referee

Saturday 23^rd August 2008

Fergie MacDonald’s famous tune “The Shinty Referee” might have been slowed down from a Canadian Barn Dance to a Lament if it was written in the current climate of referee criticism.

Shinty has already lost a good referee in Calum Duff who decided to hang up his whistle following comments aimed at him during the recent Newtonmore v Fort William clash.

I spoke to Calum after the Balliemore Cup Final and urged him to change his decision to end his refereeing career. However he felt that it was time to make a stand against the constant barracking of referees. A hobby which some clubs seem to regard as part of the game, and something that is intended to gain them any advantage.

Men and women verbally abusing a referee in front of his wife and children is not sport and it should not be shinty.

Shinty seems to be following one of football’s more odious traits of venting frustrations and blame at the man in black. I’ve yet to see a shinty player, or shinty manager go through the game’s 90 minutes without making a mistake, yet our referees are supposed to get every detail of every decision correct.

Skye’s John MacLeod earned the honour of refereeing the Sutherland Cup Final because of his fine refereeing performances over recent seasons. However he is now considering his future after receiving criticism for disallowing a Fort William goal in the final after listening to the view of his linesman. This criticism centred on the role of the linesman which should be restricted to advising the referee of which way a shy should be awarded.

After initially awarding a goal, MacLeod was approached by his lineman to advise that the 5 yard rule had not being obeyed at the free hit in the lead up to the goal. MacLeod took this advice and reversed his decision. It’s interesting to note that his critics point out that it is outwith the the linesman's remit to get involved in such decisions. Very few, if any, say that the actual decision that the 5 yard rule was infringed was incorrect. So what we have here is not objection to the decision, but objection to how the decision was arrived at. It seems to me that these critics would rather that the referee got the decision wrong!

Any fair minded person would applaud a referee for changing his mind and getting the decision correct. The referee is a neutral, unlike many of his critics who have their own allegiance.

John MacLeod also booked a player following a challenge in which a promising young Fort William player suffered a broken leg. Again, many who saw the game agree that a booking was probably the correct course of action for the challenge, no mater how tragic the outcome.

Shinty needs players, and the army of volunteers who organise our fine sport. It also needs referees and the events of recent weeks will do little to attract new blood to the sport.

Referees are not well paid – they usually give up their entire Saturday for much less than the minimum hourly wage – but they officiate for their love of the sport. They deserve some respect in return.  

The View From The Touchline  

The Talent Conveyor Belt

14 July 2008

There are good signs in relation to youth shinty on Skye at the moment.

o      5 Skye Camanachd players – Jamie MacDonald, Andrew Banks, Shockie MacLennan, Danny Morrison and Neil John Campbell - have just returned from Ireland after representing the Scotland U17s in the shinty / hurling internationals.

o      7 Skye Camanachd players - Shockie MacLennan, Danny Morrison, Neil John Campbell, Neil MacVicar, Stewart Grant, Martin Bruce and Paul MacKinnon - are currently attending the Camanachd Association Player Development Camp in Perth. An eighth player – Ian Morrison – is only absent because he is on holiday.

o      2 Skye Camanachd players – Stewart Grant and Martin Bruce - recently represented the North at U14 level against the South. A further 3 Skye Camanachd players – Ian Nicolson, Andrew Banks and Jamie MacDonald - were selected at U17 level in the same event.

o      Skye Camanachd is the only club in Scotland to run two U14 teams.

o      Portree Primary School is the MacKay (Scottish) Cup holders and previously won this competition in 2005. They have also beaten the National League Champions, Kingussie twice this season. They have enjoyed a fantastic period of success since 2004.

o      A £55,000 investment in the Shinty & Wellbeing Project – a 3 year programme - from various grant awards has just ended. This included coaching sessions from qualified coach Willie Cowie, coupled with a wellbeing message on a range of topics. Two more grant funded projects are soon to start. One will focus on Primary School age shinty players and the other will focus on the U14 and U17 age shinty players in the Skye and Wester Ross locality. This coaching will be led by qualified self employed coach Willie Cowie.

o      Skye Camanachd has recently been represented at Scotland U21 level by Steven Morrison.

o      Sarah Corrigall, now with the Garry Girls, continues to be a shining light and superb role model for women’s shinty.

o      The Skye Camanachd second team has a large contingent of U17 players and even includes a couple of U14 players.

o      The Skye Camanachd first team also includes a significant number of what could be regarded as youth players.

It was pleasing to read Alex O’Henley’s column in this week’s West Highland Free Press which acknowledged Skye Camanachd’s youth development policy. However it is equally important for Skye Camanachd to acknowledge the shinty development which takes place on Skye before the players reach U14 level. You see, Skye Camanachd may run shinty at U14, U17, second team and first team level but organised shinty takes place on Skye at a much earlier age.

Una MacLennan takes coaching in the Bracadale area, Donnie Digg MacDonald attends to the North End and John “Spod” MacLeod and Keith MacKenzie have taken over from Alasdair Morrison in Kyleakin. There are also several coaches – Willie Cowie, Neil MacLean, Phil McCaherty, Ali Grant, Davie Pringle, etc - taking weekly sessions in Portree and promoting the shinty ethos set by Head Teacher John Finlayson.

Skye Camanachd has much to be grateful to these people for.        

The View From The Touchline

6 July 2008

Skye Camanachd “Beat The Drum” To Win Place In The Balliemore Cup Final.

A last minute extra time strike by Ian Nicolson was enough to win a thrilling Balliemore Cup semi final for Skye Camanachd. But the match story was so much more than that.

Skye won this game the hard way. A new rule introduced this season by the Camanachd Association means semi final venues are decided by the toss of the coin which in this case Glenurquhart duly won. This rule is intended to free up pitches and help prevent the fixture congestion experienced during the last couple of seasons. Skye had already lost twice this season to the MacTavish Cup runners-up so they hoped for third time lucky. They were also without the services of keeper Ross Graham who was at his brother’s wedding, wing centre Kerr Gibb who had tonsillitis and buckshee forward Somhairle MacDonald who following a hamstring problem, is on a family holiday in Canada. 

Jamie Gannon returned in goal to replace Graham, Ian Nicolson took up the wing centre position and Kenny Campbell joined Ally MacLennan, Alan Palmer and Aonghas MacDonald in the forward line. 

Cheered on by a large travelling support, Skye were first to threaten and there was only 2 minutes on the clock when Aonghas MacDonald found space from his marker, Scottish international John Barr, to crash a shot high into the side netting. Moments later when the Islanders did take an early lead, it was from an own goal although MacDonald would surely have scored had the Glenurquhart defender not got the final touch.

Glenurquhart had an immediate chance to draw level when Skye keeper Jamie Gannon was penalised for playing the ball with his hand when lying on the ground. However he redeemed himself when he pulled off a brilliant save to his left from Lewis MacLennan's spot hit. This was the first of a series of fine stops by Gannon.

Glenurquhart did equalise 5 minutes later when the Skye defence were unable to clear their lines and Calum Miller leveled the tie. Lewis MacLennan then redeemed himself by firing his side into a 2-1 lead. Just when it looked as if Glen would take their lead into the interval, the ball broke to Skye’s Kenny Campbell and from an acute angle, with everyone expecting a cut back; he crashed an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net to once again level the tie.

Steven Morrison took a sore knock to the ankle midway through the first half. He manfully tried to continue but much to his disappointment, he had to be replaced at half time by Shockie MacLennan. It’s at these moments that a team manager earns his worth and Alasdair Morrison reshuffled his pack by bringing Aonghas MacDonald from full forward to take Morrison's place at full back. Ian Nicolson moved from wing centre to replace MacDonald at full forward and substitute MacLennan took over Nicolson's full forward role. These changes proved to be very significant with all 3 players playing an important role during the remainder of the game.

The second half might have been goalless but it had plenty of incidents including some great saves by Gannon and a simply superb performance from Alan MacLeod at buckshee back whose intelligent use of the ball was a joy to watch. Aonghas MacDonald at full back braved injury problems to display a “they shall not pass” attitude and he was ably assisted by half backs Dougie Rankin and John Moir. There was also a very determined performance from wing centre Jamie MacDonald who came out on top in an enthralling battle with the excellent Eddie Tembo. Gilleasbuig MacDonald’s performance at full centre continued to emphasise what a boost his return to the fold has been to the team.    

Extra time provided much more of the same. Glenurquhart did have the ball in the Skye net but it was correctly ruled out for offside. The match was just moments away from penalties – and this cannot have been a prospect the Skye players relished given they have missed their last 14 consecutive spot hits - when Ian Nicolson at full stretch flicked the ball into the Glenurquhart net to trigger scenes of joyous celebration amongst the travelling support.

The remaining minutes - including an inordinate amount of injury time allowed by referee Donnie Fraser - passed liked hours for the Skye support. But it was Skye who emerged as winners to face Kilmallie - who beat Glenorchy 4-1 in the other semi - in the Balliemore Cup Final at Beauly’s Braeview Park on Saturday 26 July 2008. Having lost out in 2 recent Balliemore Cup Finals, the Islanders will certainly be hoping for third time lucky once again.

The View from the Touchline

Camanachd Cup Day

14 June 2008

There is definitely something special about Camanachd Cup day. There’s a sense of anticipation through the week before the game coupled with the excitement of knowing that a victory takes your team into the draw for the next round.

As a North Division One side entering the Camanachd Cup 3^rd round draw, you look for two things:

• A home tie
• A draw against a side outwith the Premier League - or at least in the lower part of the top division.

A home draw against Lovat - bottom of the Premier League - met both criteria and there was a real sense that this tie could provide a Camanachd Cup shock result. Except a shock result is one that is not predicted and too many people in planet shinty predicated a Skye win in this tie and that news obviously filtered back to Lovat.

One major advantage associated with playing Premier League shinty is that you are already competing at a pace other teams find hard to achieve. Lovat certainly used this to their advantage as they off the blocks at full pace in the opening 10 minutes of the game.

There’s nothing like a kick in the groin to convert anticipation into reality and Lovat’s Raymond Rennie, Calum MacAulay and Euan Ferguson applied not one but three such kicks during the first 8 minutes of the match.

Skye seemed lethargic during this period. It’s not our first slow start of the season and it was a harsh lesson in what it means to play with the big boys.

But even at 3-0 down, the fans never felt Skye were out of the game. This is a team who had won all their games during the month of May. A team who were never going to go down lightly and when Aonghas MacDonald pulled a goal back after 24 minutes, hope sprang eternal. A second Skye goal before half time would have made the world of a difference and although there were many close things, the half time score was 3-1 in favour of the visitors.

From the hour mark onwards, both teams exchanged goals like two heavyweight boxers slugging out a title bout. Skye’s Somhairle MacDonald made it 3-2 and Lovat’s Jamie Matheson made it 4-2. Skye’s Somhairle MacDonald made it 4-3 but Lovat’s Matheson made it 5-3 a minute later. Somhairle completed his hat trick and an agonising 12 minutes ensued when Skye had several chances but couldn’t get the goal that would have taken the tie into extra time.

As Calum Duff blew the final whistle, a sense of frustration of what could have been swept the touchline. There’s no doubt that Skye’s poor start to the game was a major contribution to their defeat. We simply left ourselves too much to do for the final 82 minutes of the game. We didn’t play our best but we should have been good enough to win this tie.

Handshakes were exchanged and it’s hard not to feel pleased for Lovat stalwarts such as Mary Ann Henton, Ron Mullican, the team managers and their enthusiastic but likeable support.

Mary Ann tells us that Skye have a lot to thank Lovat for as their legend Willie Cowie (senior) gave Skye sons Ross Cowie and Willie Cowie (and potentially wee Willie Cowie) but we also gave them Donald Neil Murchison.

However a few drinks later, when news filtered through that Lovat had been given a 4^th round home draw against Bute, the sense of frustration came back with a vengeance!

The View from the Touchline

Skye 0 Kinlochshiel 3

Saturday 16^th June 2007

Sitting equal second bottom in the league with only 2 wins is probably not the best time to introduce a blog on all things Skye Camanachd to our new website. Or is it? There are reasons to be optimistic from the season so far that aren’t necessarily reflected in our results. The emergence of young Steven Morrison as a quality and versatile defender at senior level is a real feature of the season so far. So too are the performances of Alan MacLeod who is arguably having his best season to date for Skye Camanachd.

Losing Club captain and influential full centre Aonghas MacDonald for the remainder of the season was an obvious blow. However as the “every cloud………” saying goes, his brother Gilleasbuig MacDonald seems to be relishing the additional responsibility of assuming the full centre’s role. If only we could find Somhairle a job closer to home so that he can join his brothers in the white shirts of Skye!  

Kenny Campbell too has had a fine season in the centre line and has been truly committed to the cause. After years of playing in the forward line, team manager Alasdair Morrison has recognised a gem by playing Kenny in a deeper role. The final member of the centre line is a certain Jamie MacDonald. Jamie is still not old enough to drive a car but his drive on the shinty field has been admired by home and visiting fans alike this season.   

Up front Ali MacLennan and Alan Palmer have turned in some fine performances which haven’t necessarily been reflected in the goals for column. They are young forwards and their time will come………………..very soon.  

With apologies to Alan MacLeod, the common theme with these players is youth and these boys will have many seasons ahead of them in top class shinty. There lies the reason to be optimistic and stick with Skye Camanachd for the games ahead.  

Back to this afternoon and yes, any 3-0 home derby defeat by local rivals Kinlochshiel is always disappointing but the view from the touchline was that there were not 3 goals in the game. There was a horrible similarity to all 3 goals we lost. Shots from Shiel which were well saved by stand-in goalkeeper John “Spod” MacLeod but on each occasion, and not for the first time this season, the opposition forwards were quickest to react and a goal was lost. These observations are things that can be worked on and are not meant as criticism. Simply recognising where things are going wrong is the first step to improvement.

The goals return this season is not quite what it could have been. The forward line has looked best when big Alan MacPherson has been on the Island rather than on the rigs and we hope his work schedule is compatible with our Balliemore Cup ties. We have a young side and patience is the key.

What was also really encouraging from Saturday was the attendance, easily the largest of the season so far. This was boosted by the numbers who crossed the bridge from Shiel to cheer on their team. Their team is young, quick and skilful and has a real chance of joining the big boys next season.

The Skye Camanachd second team will be disappointed with their 1-0 loss away to Glenurquhart in the Strathdearn Cup. It was a winnable tie which gave a real chance to progress in this competition. However whatever the results, the priority for any second team must be to put out a side which is 25% experience and 75% youth. The experienced players will guide their younger team mates on their path to the first team and that as they say is the most important thing. Manager Davie MacVicar has stuck to the principal of playing younger players since his tenure began and he should not be detracted from this path.

Having already supplied Jamie MacDonald, Ian Nicolson, Kerr Gibb and Tom Butler etc for first team duty, there are several more young guns waiting on he wings. Andrew Banks, Jonathon “Shockie” MacLennan, Neil John Campbell and Neil “Beans” MacVicar will surely make the progression to the first team, as will Danny Morrison. Last season, at the tender age of 14, Danny was selected in goal for the second team and he has performed with assurance and confidence beyond his years. However Danny is also the best forward Skye have from the early teenage years and it will be interesting to see how he develops with an extended run in the second team forward line.

Reasons to be optimistic indeed!