The Shinty Round Up. | |
18 November 2009 Only one match went ahead in senior shinty on Champions Kingussie were to head for Tighnabruaich to play Kyles Athletic this weekend. But an unplayable pitch meant the match was switched to Invergarry. However a bereavement in Tighnabruaich lead Kyles to ask for the match to be postponed for a week. Challengers Newtonmore headed for This result leaves the Badenoch rivals level on points at the top of the table with Kingussie enjoying a 4 goal difference advantage. They both play away from home next weekend in matches which will determine the title. Kingussie travel to play Kyles Athletic whilst Newtonmore travel to play Inveraray. Inveraray and The local derby in Marine Harvest North Division 2 between In Marine Harvest South Division 2, the match between Glenorchy and Strachur was also postponed as the pitch at Dalmally was unplayable. The London Shield Final took place at Battery Park, Lochcarron between Skye Camanachd and Glenurquhart. The early exchanges were fairly even and although Glenurquhart started well, Skye Camanachd went on to enjoy the bulk of the first half pressure. Skye made the vital break-through on 18 minutes when Danny Morrison picked up a ball from midfield and unleashed a ferocious drive on goal. Glen keeper Ryan Brady did well to block the shot with his feet but Skye’s Ally MacDonald pounced on the rebound to first time the ball into the back of the net. Skye had a chance to increase their lead a couple of minutes later when they were awarded a penalty for a kick by Glenurquhart keeper Brady. Danny Morrison’s penalty was sweetly struck but it rose just over the bar. The Skye centre line was dominating the game with captain Neil MacVicar getting the better of Fraser Heath in midfield and Ian Morrison canceling out the threat of Ewan Brady on the wing. Ally MacLeod replaced Paul MacKinnon as Skye tried to turn their first half pressure into a bigger advantage but the young Islanders had to settle for a one goal lead at the break. Skye started the second half well and Ally MacDonald went close following a poor Glenurquhart by-hit. Referee Evan MacRae was called into action 10 minutes into the second period when Glenurquhart forward Calum Fraser reacted badly to a challenge from Skye’s Martin Bruce. The referee consulted goal judge Billy MacLeod before booking both players with Smith fortunate to stay on the pitch. Several meaty challenges followed until Sam Cumming was hauled up for a late challenge on Skye’s Shaun Hedley. Referee MacRae again consulted with goal judge MacLeod before flashing a red card. He initially sent off Glenurquhart’s Kelvin MacKenzie who got involved in the incident but following a further intervention by MacLeod, MacKenzie was recalled to the field and Glenurquhart’s Sam Cumming received a red card for his initial challenge. Although they were a man short, Glenurquhart went on to enjoy their best period of the game. However the found Martin Bruce and Ian Grant in the middle and Shaun Hedley and Neil John Campbell on the wings to be in no mood to surrender their sides lead. Skye went 2-0 up after 64 minutes when Stewart Grant intercepted a poor by hit and played in substitute John Gillies. Gillies played a perfectly weighted return to the overlapping Stewart Grant who unleashed a thunderous 30 yard drive which flew into the Glen net. The youngsters from Drumnadrochit did not let their heads drop though and just a couple of minutes later a looping cross from Ewan Brady on the Glenurquhart left was deflected into the net by a Skye defender. The Glen were lifted by the goal and they put the Skye defence under pressure but Scott MacLeod marshaled his defence well. Daniel Morrison replaced the effective Jordan Murchison in the closing stages and Skye finished the match on the offensive and they certainly did enough to deserve their victory. The whole Skye defence was excellent and whilst Neil MacVicar prompted the midfield, he was ably assisted by a man of the match performance from Stewart Grant and a tireless performance by Danny Morrison in attack. Skye captain Neil MacVicar became the first Skye captain to lift the London Shield since 2002 when he was presented with the shield in front of a large Skye support by Graeme Cormack from the Camanachd Association. |