Alba 30 Eirinn 7 – Alba Win Iomain Cholmcille! | |
14 February 2010 Alba 30 (7-9) Eirinn 7 (1-4)
There was a huge crowd at Pàirc nan Laoch in Portree on Saturday 13 February 2010 to watch a fine game of shinty-hurling between Alba and Eirinn (Cumann Micheál Breathnach) as part of Iomain Cholmcille.
The game was won by the Scottish Gaelic team, Alba after a magnificent start that saw three goals in the first five minutes, very important in the compromise rules games. The first was scored by Donald Lamont of Aberdeen University after a mistake from Irish keeper, Micheal O Suilleabhain.
Then Somhairle Macdonald scored a special goal after a fine run from the halfway line and David Grant made it 3 goals with a free hit which dipped at the last second into the net. That meant na h-Albannaich were 9 points to nil up very early in the game. The Scots then grabbed another two points before the Irish finally got on the scoresheet with a point.
The Irish hitting in the air was not as strong as one would have expected and Iain Morrison started to run the show on the right wing, creating opportunities and he bagged himself a fine goal and a point from open play.
Once Alba had built up a commanding lead, manager Eòghan Stewart started making rolling substitutions to the team, giving opportunities to Seumas Nairn and James “Ach” MacRae from Lochbroom in particular. MacRae took Gilleasbuig MacDonald’s place on the park and one tackle in particular stood comparison to anything from his more illustrious Sgitheanach teammate.
But it was the boy Nairn from Ullapool who put the kybosh on the Irish finally. The big boy from Lochbroom has a rather agricultural style but he has real presence and used his body well to make room before slapping the ball hard past O Suilleabhain. Alba had amassed five goals and with Grant, Kenny MacLeod and Iain Nicolson all adding points, they went in at halftime leading 22-3.
In the second half, the Albannaich were playing against the wind and the Breathnaigh came back into the game little by little. Eirinn captain, Antoinne O Finneadha, grabbed a good goal putting the ball past sub keeper Tom Butler. Enda O Tuathail was also impressive in the midfield but overall the Irish side was not as strong as in recent years.
Alba grabbed two more goals from Somhairle MacDonald and Iain Nicolson to close out the game. MacDonald’s goal was a brilliant solo run which saw him run half the length of the pitch, through the Eirinn defence. His initial shot was blocked by keeper O Suilleabhain but MacDonald tucked the rebound low into the net. Nicolson deserved his strike for his commanding performance throughout the game.
The Irish grabbed the final point of the game just before referee John Angus Gillies blew for a full time score of 30-7 in favour of the Scots.
Gilleasbuig MacDonald lifted the Cuach Cholmcille and praised the state of the park in Portree and his sentiments were echoed by Gearoid O Fatharta, the Micheal Breathnach manager.
Iain Morrison was named man of the match for a magnificent performance and Antoine O Finneadha was named the best Irish player.
Eoghan Stewart thanked main sponsors Cholmcille for their vital support towards hosting the event.
Na h-Albannaich a’ soirbheachadh an aghaidh na h-Eireann air latha math airson Gàidhlig aig Iomain Cholmcille.
Alba 30 (7-9) Eirinn 7 (1-4)
Bha sluagh mòr aig Pàirc nan Laoch ann am Port Rìgh Disathairne sa chaidh airson geàm iongantach math fhaicinn eadar cluicheadairean iomain bho Alba agus Eirinn (Cumann Micheál Breathnach) mar phairt de dh’Iomain Cholmcille.
Chaidh an gèam a bhuannachadh le sgioba Ghaidhlig na h-Alba as dèidh toiseach sònraichte a chunnaic trì tadhail gan cur anns a’ chiad còig mionaidean, rudan a tha gu math cudromach anns na geamaichean rèitiche. Chaidh a’ chiad fhear a chur le Dòmhnall MacLaomainn bho Oilthigh Obar Dheathain as dèidh mearachd bho Mhicheál O Suilleabhain cìobair na h-Èireann.
An uairsin, fhuair Somhairle MacDhòmhnaill tadhal sònraichte as dèidh ruith mhath agus an uairsin rinn Dàibhidh Grannd a’ chùis le buille saor a chrom sìos aig a’ mhionaid mu dheireadh. Bha sin a’ ciallachadh gun robh na h-Albannaich naoi puing gu neòni an toiseach gu math luath. Fhuair na h-Albannaich dà phuing eile mus d’ fhuair na h-Eirinnich puing air ais.
Cha robh am bualadh san eadhair cho làidir a bhiodh tu an dùil bho na h-Eirinnich agus thoisich Iain Moireasdan a’ ruith chùisean air an taobh dheas, a’ cruthachadh chothroman agus fhuair e fhèin tadhal sònraichte agus an uairsin puing bho chluich fhosgailte.
Nuair a bha na h-Albannaich an toiseach gu mòr thoisich Eòghan Stiùbhart a’ dèanamh atharraichean air an sgioba, a’ toirt chothroman do Sheumas Nairn agus Seamus MacRàth à Loch Bhraoin gu sonraichte. Ghabh MacRàth àite Gilleasbuig MacDhòmhnaill agus rinn e aon dubhlan nuair a thàinig air ann am meadhan na pàirce a bha ceart cho làidir ri dad a rinn an Sgitheanach a bha a’ cluich an-sin roimhe.
Ach ‘s e an Seumas eile, am balach Nairn, chur ceap a’ bhàis air cùisean dha na h-Eirinnich. Tha stoidhle gu math dùthchail aig duine mòr Loch Bhraoin ach bha làthaireachd mhòr aige agus chleachd e a’ bhodhaig gu math airson rùm a dhèanamh agus am ball a bhualadh gu cruaidh seachad air O Suilleabhain. Bha còig tadhail aig na h-Eirinnich agus le Grannd, Coinneach MacLeòid agus Iain MacNeacail uile a’ cur phuingean tarsainn air a’ bhar, chaidh Alba a-steach aig leth-ùine an toiseach fichead puing ‘sa dhà gu trì.
Anns an darna leth bha na h-Albannaich a’ cluich an aghaidh na gaoithe agus thoisich na Breathnaigh a’ tighinn air ais dhan gheàm beag air bheag. Chuir Antoinne O Finneadha, sgiobair na h-Èireann tadhal math, a’ cur an sliotáir seachad air Tòmas Butler a bha a’ cluich eadar na puist aig an àm sin. Bha Enda O Tuathail glè mhath ann am meadhan na pàirce ach cha robh sgioba cho làidir aig na h-Èirinnich na bha aca anns na bliadhnaichean eile.
Fhuair Alba dà thadhal eile a bharrachd air dà phuing san dara leth le Somhairle MacDhòmhnaill a’ ruith bho mheadhan na pàirce agus a’ cur am ball a-steach air an dara thuras as dèidh do O Suilleabhain sabhladh math a dhèanamh. ‘S e Iain MacNeacail a fhuair an tadhal mu dheireadh a’ goid a’ bhuill bho chaman Phòl Duke agus ga chur a-steach e fhèin dhan lion.
Chuir na Breathnaigh am ball tarsainn air a’ bhar sa mhionaid mu dheireadh mus do chuir an rèitire Iain Aonghas MacGilliosa crìoch air cùisean agus an sgòr iag 30-7. Bha gèam math aig MacGilliosa agus tha e àiridh air a’ chliù a bhios e a’ cosnadh mar fhear dhe na reitirean as fhèarr sa gheam là an-diugh.
Thog Gilleasbuig MacDhomhnaill Cuach Cholmcille agus thug e taing mhòr do Chomann Camanachd an Eilein Sgitheanaich airson an geàm a chumail air a’ phàirc. Fhuair uachdar na pàirce tòrr moladh bho mhanaidsear Chumann Micheál Breathnach Gearoid O Fatharta “Tá se páirc iontach atá seo agus is bhí clibhé mhaith ann.”
Chaidh Iain Moireasdan, an cluicheadair òg bhon Eilean Sgitheanach, an duais airson sàr-chluicheadair agus chaidha thaghadh le O Fatharta. Chaidh Antoine O Finneadha ainmeachadh le Reidio a’ Chuillthionn mar an cluicheadair a b’fheàrr aig na h-Eirinnich.
Thug Eòghan Stiùbhart taing mhòr do Cholmcille airson an taic a thug iad dhan phròiseact. Thuirt e “Tha an gèam seo air shealltain gum b’urrainn do an d`a chànan tighinn còmhla tro spòrs. Bhrosnaich a’ chùis cleachdadh na Gàidhlig gu mòr a-measg nan cluicheadairean agus tha mi an dòchas gum bi an geàm seo a’ leantainn fad bhliadhnaichean.” |