Skye Camanachd 4 Lovat 0 | |
11 August 2011 Skye Camanachd beat Lovat 4-0 in their Marine Harvest North Division 2 meeting at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 30 July 2011. Skye manager Davie MacVicar made six changes from the side which drew with Kilmallie in Marine Harvest North Division 2 a fortnight earlier. Captain John MacLeod, Mark Mortimer, Daniel Morrison, Andrew Grant, Aonghas MacDonald and MacVicar himself all dropped out of the squad. However keeper Ross Graham returned and he started in goal. There were starting places for Neil MacVicar, Shaun Hedley, Darryl Macintosh, Paul MacKinnon and U14 forward Will Cowie who was back after breaking his thumb in an U17 match against Glenurquhart. Ally MacLeod dropped onto the bench Lovat had team raising difficulties ahead of the game and they were missing several regulars including Steven Cameron, Tom Collings, Ryan Fraser Rory Cruden and Calum Farquharson. Glengarry Girls player Laura Gallacher started in attack. Skye took the lead within 2 minutes. Will Cowie cut in from the right and he saw his shot saved by Lovat keeper Chris MacCallum. The rebound fell in front of goal and David Grant had time to turn and tuck the ball low into the net. Jordan Murchison went close 60 seconds later as his shot went narrowly wide. Skye doubled their lead after 7 minutes and Will Cowie was involved again. The youngster played the ball to David Grant and, with his back to goal; Grant slipped the ball to Allan MacKinnon 25 yards from goal. MacKinnon had time to pick his spot before giving the keeper no chance with a great finish as he fired the ball into the top left corner of MacCallum’s net. Skye manager Davie MacVicar was forced to make an early change when Shaun Hedley came off feeling unwell and Magnus Burd came on in his place. A good ball from Jordan Murchison found David Grant after 15 minutes and his shot was well saved to his right by MacCallum. Will Cowie almost made it 3-0 on 27 minutes when his rocket shot from the right came back of the Lovat upright. However Skye did go 3-0 in front just 4 minutes later and it was Jordan Murchison who crashed the ball into the back of the net. Jordan Murchison and Will Cowie combined to set up a shooting opportunity for David Grant after 38 minutes but Grant’s shot flew over the bar. This was the last real chance of the first half. The second half was a more subdued affair. David Grant was replaced by Iain MacLellan after 51 minutes. Chris MacCallum made a great save with his left hand, low at his left post from an Allan MacKinnon shot from fully 40 yards after 56 minutes. Will Cowie shot across the face of the goal a minute later but Skye were unable to add to their tally. Skye tried to up the tempo on 63 minutes when Will Cowie beat his marker and broke down the Skye left. Cowie crossed to Jordan Murchison and his shot went just past Chris MacCallum’s right post. Chris MacCallum saved a Will Cowie backhand shot with his feet on 66 minutes and Iain MacLellan was unable to get onto the rebound. Shaun Hedley returned to play in place of Paul MacKinnon after 67 minutes. Hedley took up the full centre role with Allan MacKinnon pushed into the attack. A lightning break from Skye on 74 minutes ended when Jordan Murchison shot into the side net. A minute later Skye took David Grant back on but this time at full back. Iain MacLellan was withdrawn and Neil MacVicar pushed forward into the attack. Shaun Hedley lost his marker and sprinted forward after 77 minutes but his shot rose over the bar. Seconds later Ally MacLeod came on in attack in place of Will Cowie. Macleod was in the thick of the action straight away when he battled for possession with Conall MacIllechiar. Referee Deek Cameron awarded the home side a free hit which Shaun Hedley slipped to Neil MacVicar but he was unable to get a shot in. A rare Lovat attack on 80 minutes saw Laura Gallacher play the ball to Lewis Tawse. He passed to Jimmy MacKenzie but his 25 yard shot went wide. Skye went 4-0 ahead on 81 minutes. The move started when Shaun Hedley found Neil MacVicar who knocked the ball to the edge of D. As Lovat tried to clear, the ball broke to Ally MacLeod and he engineered a shooting chance before slamming the ball low into the net off the legs of Lovat keeper MacCallum. A quick Lovat switch from defence into attack on 84 minutes saw a huge Alan MacPherson clearance find Jimmy MacKenzie on the edge of the D but MacKenzie was unable to hit the target. Will Cowie was re-introduced as Allan MacKinnon came off on 85 minutes. Neil MacVicar collected a pass from Ally MacLeod and sent backhand shot went just past the post on 87 minutes. Shaun Hedley burst forward again a minute later but Chris MacCallum came off his line to clear the danger. MacCallum saved well with his legs from Jordan Murchison in the closing seconds of the game and the visiting defence was able to clear the ball. This was a vital two points for Skye as they battle relegation with half the other teams in the league including Lovat. It was more a useful team performance without any stand-outs. The visitors battled well given their limited resources and young Laura Gallagher in attack, Lewis Tawse and their whole defence and keeper were good. Skye Camanachd from; Ross Graham (captain), Neil MacVicar, Iain Grant, Scott MacLeod, Ally MacDonald, Allan MacKinnon, Darryl Macintosh, Shaun Hedley, Paul MacKinnon, Jordan Murchison, Will Cowie, David Grant subs Magnus Burd, Ian MacLellan, Ally MacLeod Lovat from; Chris MacCallum, James White, Michael MacKenzie, Danny Kelly, Alan MacPherson (captain), Bradley McHardy, Jimmy MacKenzie, Connell MacIllechiar, Graeme MacMillan, Laura Gallagher, Duncan Collings, Lewis Tawse sub Mathew MacInnes Match Referee – Deek Cameron The match balls are sponsored by Nor-Dan |