Skye Camanachd 1 Beauly 3 | |
15 June 2011 Skye Camanachd lost 3-1 to Beauly at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree in their Marine Harvest North Division 1 meeting on Saturday 4 June 2011. Skye boss Aonghas has made five changes to the squad which drew with Inverness last weekend. Out of last week’s 15 man pool went Steven Morrison and Robbie MacDougall who were both working and Shockie MacLennan who was unavailable. Injury ruled out John Moir (back) and Danny Morrison (groin muscle). AB Connor continued to miss out because of work commitments. Andrew Banks returned to the top team after missing the Caberfeidh game because of work commitments. There was a recall for Allan MacKinnon and he started in attack. Jordan Murchison’s reward for a week where he scored nine goals in three games for the second team (once) and the U17 side (twice) was a place on the bench where he was joined by U17 team-mate Iain Grant. There was also a place on the bench for veteran Willie MacRae. Beauly were without the injured Innes Simpson and Connor Cormack and Sean Stewart started on the bench. Skye agreed to a 30 minute delay to the throw up to allow Beauly’s Connor Cormack to at least take part in some of the game. Cormack was in Glasgow on Saturday morning to collect a work-related award. Skye were first to threaten when Allan Palmer shot narrowly past the post from a Kerr Gibb corner on the Skye left after just 2 minutes. Beauly created an early chance of their own when Connor Ross made a darting run across his marker to get on the end of a Jamie MacLennan diagonal ball but he shot wide. Skye started with a south two-two style formation which drew Beauly full back Roger Cormack out from the D and they had some early success opening up the Beauly defence with Somhairle MacDonald looking particularly dangerous. Skye took the lead on 12 minutes when a Kerr Gibb shy found Somhairle MacDonald and he turned Dougie Blain and found himself clean through on goal and he fired low past keeper Martin Davidson to make it 1-0. Beauly’s Jamie MacLennan forced Skye keeper Michael Nicolson to make a good save with his feet a minute later. Somhairle MacDonald escaped the attentions of his marker and broke down the Skye right on 15 minutes but he shot into the side netting. Skye keeper Michael Nicolson made an outstanding save above his head from a 15 yard Barry MacDonald blockbuster on 23 minutes. This was a superb save, especially as the ball travelled through a ruck of players towards the unsighted keeper. Somhairle MacDonald set up Alan Palmer on 25 minutes which left him one-on-one with keeper Martin Davidson. However Palmer’s shot came off the keeper’s waist and deflected for what should have been a corner but referee Iain Kennedy awarded a goal-hit. Beauly stared to come more into the game and Connor Ross was inches away from getting on the end of a ball from Barry MacDonald on the half hour mark. Beauly manager Stephen MacLean made his first change of the afternoon when he introduced Sean Stewart instead of Jack MacDonald after 35 minutes. Martin Davidson saved well with his feet from a Somhairle MacDonald shot from the Skye right on 37 minutes and Alan Palmer was just unable to get on the rebound. The game immediately swung to the other end of the field and it took a good Shaun Hedley click to foil a shooting opportunity for Beauly’s Connor Ross. Beauly were eventually awarded a free hit form the ensuing melee but Skye’s Iain Nicolson did well to clear the danger. Skye were inches away from making it 2-0 on 42 minutes when Martin Davidson scrambled a Somhairle MacDonald shot away just ahead of the on-rushing Alan Palmer. Skye continued to press for a second goal in the closing minutes of the half and when Somhairle MacDonald collected a Gilleasbuig MacDonald shy, his shot skipped up wickedly off the surface and keeper Davidson did well to keep the ball out of the net. Beauly started the second half well and Michael Nicolson saved from Sean Stewart after 49 minutes and the Skye keeper cleared the ball before Jamie MacLennan could get to it. Jamie MacLennan made half a yard of space for himself after he collected a Ross Forbes free-hit on 52 minutes. However the full forward’s point blank shot was brilliant saved by Skye keeper Michael Nicolson who was falling backwards but still managed to turn the ball away for a corner. Beauly continued to threaten and they equalized a minute later following a fantastic move involving five players. Beauly defender Scott MacLeod broke up a Skye attack and played the ball down the right to Sean Stewart. There was then a good exchange of passes between Ross Forbes, Marc McLaughlin and then back to Sean Stewart who crossed for Jamie MacLennan on the edge of the D. He turned his marker before giving keeper Nicolson no chance with an exquisite finish. Beauly were dominating the midfield area at this stage in the game which was leaving the Skye defence some-what over-worked. U17 forward Jordan Murchison came on in place of the limping Alan Palmer on 57 minutes. Michael Nicolson made another good save, this time from a Jamie MacLennan strike, at the expense of a corner. Beauly went on to force a series of corners until Ross Forbes corner from the right on 62 minutes found Sean Stewart made he made space before blasting the ball to put the visitors 2-1 in front. Skye responded well and Davidson stopped a 30 yard MacDonald effort with his hand a minute later and he cleared the ball for a corner. A Somhairle MacDonald snap-shot moments later was turned away by Davidson and neither Allan MacKinnon nor Jordan Murchison were able to work the keeper from the resultant corner. Jordan Murchison forced a good save from Martin Davidson after being played in by Iain Morrison and Somhairle MacDonald put the rebound over the bar on 67 minutes. Iain Grant came on as a straight swap for Shaun Hedley in defence after 70 minutes. Connor Cormack made a late arrival on 75 minutes and he came on at wing centre in place of Ross Forbes. Cormack made an immediate impact setting up a chance for Connor Ross but he shot wide. Michael Nicolson did well to dive backwards to make a magnificent save from a Sean Stewart pile-driver on 80 minutes. Michael Nicolson made another good save from Jack MacDonald on 86 minutes and he also had to look lively to prevent Beauly scoring from the resultant corner. Somhairle MacDonald played a great ball into the Beauly area on 88 minutes but there were no takers. Andrew Banks threw his body in the way to thwart a Barry MacDonald shot moments later. Michael Nicolson made what seemed to be another super save with his foot from a Marc McLaughlin drive in the 90 minute however the goal judge flagged for a kick. Referee Iain Kennedy was unsighted but after consulting with the goal judge, he awarded a penalty. Jack MacDonald sent a powerful spot-hit high into the net and although Michael Nicolson tried to stop the ball with his hand, the penalty was too well hit. There was not enough time left to restart the game so Beauly ran out 3-1 winners and the two points take them to second place in the table. Beauly’s second half performance gave them the edge and their best players were across the middle of the park where Ross Forbes, David MacLean and particularly Barry MacDonald all shone. Roger Cormack was his usual assured self in defence. After a good first half display, Skye seemed to run out of steam in the second period. Islanders’ keeper Michael Nicolson turned in a man of the match performance and Iain Nicolson was also a top performer at buckshee back. Skye Camanachd from; Michael Nicolson, Neil MacVicar, Andrew Banks, Shaun Hedley, Iain Nicolson, Gilleasbuig MacDonald, Iain Murray, Kerr Gibb, Allan MacKinnon, Alan Palmer, Somhairle MacDonald (captain), Iain Morrison subs Iain Grant, Jordan Murchison, Willie MacRae, Aonghas MacDonald Beauly from; Martin Davidson, Roger Cormack, Scott MacLeod, Dougie Blaine, Iain Broadhead, Ross Forbes, David MacLean, Barry MacDonald, Jack MacDonald, Marc McLaughlin, Connor Ross, Jamie MacLennan subs Sean Stewart, Connor Cormack, Stephen MacLean, Neil Rose Match Referee – Iain Kennedy The match balls are sponsored by Nor-Dan |