Cuach Shomhairle MhicGill-Eain - Portree High School 3 Plockton High School 2 - UPDATED. | |
14 April 2010 Portree High School retained the Sorley MacLean Quaich with a 3-2 win over Plockton High School at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Wednesday 14 April 2010.
This competition was established between the two schools in memorial of the renowned Gaelic poet, the late Sorley MacLean, who passed away in 1996.
Portree started the game without the injured Ian Morrison and Neil John Campbell whilst the visitors were minus Ben Dalgety.
The early exchanges were fairly equal but it was the visitors who took the lead on 19 minutes. As Plockton pressed the Portree defence, a poor clearance was fired in on goal. The home keeper Ian MacLeod saved well with his feet but David Bauermeister was first to react and he scrambled the ball over the line.
Portree came back fighting and a John Gillies flick to his right made enough space for a shoot goalwards but the ball rose over the bar.
Portree levelled on 26 minutes. Chris MacLennan played the ball wide to Jordan Murchison on the Portree right. Murchison crossed the ball from the by-line and Stewart Grant got in ahead of the visiting defenders to force the ball over the line.
Portree started to turn the screw and Plockton keeper Ewan Falconer made a good stop with his feet from Jordan Murchison. The rebound came straight back to Murchison but Falconer made a fantastic save above his head from Murchison’s rasping drive.
Falconer made another good stop with his feet from a point blank Murchison snap-shot on 32 minutes and 3 minutes later, the sides went into the half time break all square.
Portree came out on the offensive in the second half and Ewan Falconer made a neat save from Stewart Grant.
However a couple of minutes later, Portree took the lead. The Islanders were awarded a free hit on the half-way line. Full centre Martin Bruce chipped a delightful ball into the Plockton danger area and full forward Jordan Murchison broke from his marker, and spun to fire the ball low into the net.
However Plockton’s response was instant as David Bauermeister found space on the right but his shot hit the side netting.
Portree keeper Ian MacLeod made two great saves within minutes to keep his side ahead as the game moved from ended to end.
Portree tried to regain the initiative by pulling Martin Bruce back to buckshee back and Stewart Grant to full centre and the switch made immediate dividends 15 minutes into the second half.
Stewart Grant played a long ball forward from midfield which found John Gillies. The Portree wing forward dribbled in on goal from the left and released Chris MacLennan who tucked the ball into the net to give Portree a 3-1 lead.
Plockton responded immediately and a long ball from the left touchline evaded the Portree defence to allow David Bauermeister to nip in at the back post to give MacLeod no chance and reduce the deficit to a single goal.
Portree produced the best move of the game 10 minutes from the end which culminated in a cute flick from Jordan Murchison which set up Stewart Grant. However Falconer made a fantastic save to his left to stop Grant’s shot nestling into the top corner of the net.
Both sides introduced substitutes during the second half period. Portree had 7 subs with first year pupil Will Cowie the youngest.
Portree produced one final clever move before the end when Jordan Murchison played in Chris MacLennan and the latter flicked the ball into the air but his volley went wide.
The visitors were well served by keeper Ewan Falconer, Daniel, MacRae, Duncan James, Donald Nixon, scorer Duncan Bauermeister and Duncan “Ach” MacRae who was named their top player by the Portree coaches.
Portree relied on experienced players Stewart Grant, Martin Bruce, Jordan Murchison, Ian Grant, and Shaun Hedley. However the younger members of the team including wing back Calum Gibb and keeper Ian MacLeod also caught the eye. The Plockton coaches named Portree’s Ally MacLeod, who comes from Breakish, as their man of the match.
The Quaich has been in Portree’s possession since 2005 and Portree High School and it was presented to Portree High School captain Stewart Grant by Head Teacher Catherine MacDonald.
Portree High School from; Ian MacLeod, Shaun Hedley, Calum Gibb, Scott MacLeod, Ian Grant, Ally MacLeod, Martin Bruce, Magnus Burd, Stewart Grant (captain), Chris MacLennan, John Gillies Jordan Murchison, subs Stuart MacSween, Scott MacDonald, Iain MacPherson, Will Cowie, Mark Mortimer, Liam Tonagh
Match referee – Gilleasbuig MacDonald. |