North Skye Retain Ewen Morrison Memorial Cup. | |
08 February 2011 North Skye retained the Ewen Morrison Memorial Cup with a penalty shoot-out victory over South Skye at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 5 February 2011. Both sides had big squads so the match was played as 14 a-side on a larger than normal pitch. The South enjoyed the early pressure in the game but found themselves against a resolute North defence in with U17 player Shaun Hedley doing a good job shackling the threat of the more experienced Somhairle MacDonald. It was some-what against the run of play when the North took the lead after 13 minutes. Allan MacKinnon cut in from the right before firing past Michael Nicolson for the opening goal. MacKinnon again went close 5 minutes later but his shot whistled just past the post. The South squared the match on 24 minutes. The North defenders squandered three opportunities to clear the ball which allowed Danny Morrison the chance to whip a low shot past Jamie Gannon to make it 1-1. However the North regained the lead four minutes later. A free-hit on the right was played in to Jordan Murchison and he was given two chances at goal and he calmly buried the ball into the net. Players on both sides looked rusty following the long winter lay-off and there was little goal mouth action until the closing minutes of the half. First Jordan Murchison set up Ally MacDonald but his shot rose just over the bar. Then with 60 seconds of the first half remaining, a low snap-shot from Ally MacLeod deceived keeper Gannon to make it 2-2 at the interval. North Skye’s Iain Morrison had a quiet first half but he came inches away from making it 3-1 when he shot just past the post 13 minutes into the second half. The South’s response was a surge forward from Shockie MacLennan who saw his 30 yard shot saved by Gannon. Jamie Gannon was called into action again midway through the half when he saved a Danny Morrison effort with his hand and cleared the ball for a corner. With 10 minutes remaining, the North’s Will Cowie crossed from the right to Jordan Murchison but he sent the ball the wrong side of the post. With no further scoring, the Cup was decided by a penalty shoot-out. The North’s David Grant and Jordan Murchison scored the crucial penalties. Keeper Michael Nicolson got his fingers to Grant’s effort but the sheer power of the shot gave the keeper no chance of making the save whilst Murchison’s effort was accurately placed to the keeper’s left corner of the net. North Skye captain David Grant was presented with the Ewen Morrison Memorial Cup at the club’s Annual Dinner Dance which took place later that evening. North Skye from; Jamie Gannon Davie Grant John MacLeod Martin Bruce Shaun Hedley Calum Gibb Darryl MacIntosh Neil MacVicar Iain Morrison Ally MacDonald Jordan Murchison John Gillies Allan MacKinnon Will Cowie AB Connor Mark Mortimer Iain MacPherson Coaches - Davie MacVicar, Murdo Morrison South Skye from; Michael Nicolson Iain Murray Scott MacLeod Iain Grant Shockie MacLennan Gilleasbuig MacDonald Stewart Grant Daniel Morrison Ally MacLeod Somhairle MacDonald Iain Nicolson Paul MacKinnon Danny Morrison Eoghan Stewart Iain MacLeod Chris MacLennan John MacLeod Coach - John MacLeod Referee – John Angus Gillies |