Skye Camanachd 3 Kilmallie 1. | |
06 March 2011 The Skye second team achieved a morale boosting 3-1 win over Kilmallie on the opening day of the shinty season at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 5 March 2011. The Skye Camanachd line-up saw only 5 survivors from the equivalent fixture last year. Skye’s preparations suffered a couple of last minute set backs with the late call offs from forward Paul MacKinnon and captain Darryl Macintosh. The latter was replaced as club captain by keeper John MacLeod. Kilmallie visited Portree with a strong squad. After a fairly even and open start to the game, Skye took the lead on the 10 minute mark. Left wing forward John MacKenzie played the ball in to Ally MacDonald who saw his snap shot saved by John MacIsaac in the Kilmallie goal. The rebounded fell nicely to Allan MacKinnon and he rifled home from 15 yards. Just 7 minutes later Kilmallie were level. Neil John Campbell did well to block a goal bound effort from Sebastian MacMillan but the ball fell kindly for Brian MacKay who sent a rasping drive past MacLeod in the Skye goal. From the resultant throw up, Skye resumed the offensive and they were back in front moments later. Daniel Morrison’s shy from the right found Ally MacDonald who laid the ball into the path of Allan MacKinnon who dribbled past his man before rifling the ball into the right hand corner of the Kilmallie net. MacDonald and MacKinnon were combining well and causing Kilmallie all sorts of problems and in the Islanders next attack, MacDonald again fed MacKinnon only to see the final shot rise over the crossbar. Skye went 3-1 up after 24 minutes when Stewart Grant played a long ball to Ally MacDonald who controlled the ball before slipping it wide to John MacKenzie. He carried the ball forward before slipping it past the out-rushing MacIsaac from an acute angle for his first goal for Skye Camanachd. Kilmallie were by no means out of the game and in the next attack MacMillan fired into the side netting from a promising position. As Kilmallie began to exert a bit of pressure, Brian MacKay played the ball wide to MacMillan who fired just wide of the Skye goal. Skye keeper John MacLeod then denied Mark Graham and was quickly onto the loose ball to clear the danger. The second half started with Kilmallie go immediately on the offensive and they were only denied a second goal following an outstanding one handed save from MacLeod with David Grant clearing the resultant danger. Skye then returned to the attack and Ally MacDonald played the ball into the path of John MacKenzie and his first time shot was well saved by MacIsaac with MacDonald unable to keep his shot on target as the ball rebounded to him 15 yards out. Daniel Morrison picked out Allan MacKinnon with a long ball from midfield and Mackinnon set off on a mazy run before seeing his shot well saved by MacIsaac in the Kilmallie goal. However the ball was only cleared as far as John MacKenzie who was only denied a second goal by another terrific MacIsaac save. Skye were dominating at this stage and being driven on by full centre Stewart Grant who set up Ally MacDonald in the next attack only to see his shot rise over the bar. Moments later MacDonald was denied the goal his all-round performance deserved when MacIsaac again came to Kilmallie’s rescue. As action swept to the other end of the field John MacLeod stopped well with his feet from Craig MacPhee. When the Skye defence cleared the ball to Daniel Morrison he sent a measured pass to Will Cowie who was again denied by MacIsaac in the Kilmallie goal. That proved to be Cowie’s last contribution as he was replaced by Ian MacPherson for the closing minutes in what was his first appearance for Skye Camanachd. This was an excellent result for Skye in a game well refereed by Graeme MacMillan. The win was built on a solid defence where John MacLeod, Iain Grant and Neil John Campbell were in fine form. In the centre line, full centre Stewart Grant had his best game for some time and was well supported by 15 year old Mark Mortimer and 17 year old Daniel Morrison who had a strong second half. Allan MacKinnon was particularly sharp in attack in the first half and at full forward Ally MacDonald was the best player on the field. Skye Camanachd from; John MacLeod (captain), David Grant, Iain Grant, Scott MacLeod, Neil John Campbell, Mark Mortimer, Stewart Grant, Daniel Morrison, Allan MacKinnon, John MacKenzie, Iain MacLellan, Ally MacDonald subs Will Cowie, Calum Gibb, Iain MacPherson, Davie MacVicar, Murdo Morrison Referee – Graeme MacMillan The match balls are sponsored by Nor-Dan |