2016 Camanachd Cup Final …………. 2 Days To Go! | |
15 September 2016 The 2016 Camanachd Cup Final between Newtonmore and Oban Camanachd takes place at An Aird on Saturday 17 September 2016. Oban Camanachd have had to work hard on their route to the final.
2016 Camanachd Cup Final – The Road To The Final Camanachd Cup – Second Round Saturday 28 May 2016 Oban Camanachd 3 Glenurquhart 0 Oban Camanachd are through to the Camanachd Cup quarter-finals after they beat Glenurquhart 3-0 at Mossfield. Oban Camanachd manager Iain Hay welcomed the influential Daniel Cameron back into the side whilst Gary McKerracher also returned after a knee injury and he had a really good game in defence. Glenurquhart co-managers Billy MacLean and Dave Menzies were without Neale Reid who was abroad and Michael Brady who was working whilst Euan Lloyd continued his return from injury with the Glen reserves. Oban Camanachd made a whirl-wind start to the tie and they were three goals to the good with just 12 minutes played. The opener came with just 35 seconds on the clock when Andrew MacCuish hit a low shot on his left side from around the penalty area into the bottom right corner of the net to make it 1-0. Daniel Cameron made it 2-0 just a couple of minutes later. There was a battle for possession at the edge of the D and Cameron collected the loose ball and drilled it hard to the left of Glen keeper Stuart MacKintosh to make it 2-0. Daniel Cameron’s second goal was undoubtedly the pick of the afternoon’s strikes. Cameron picked the ball up around 45 yards from goal and, on his left side; he sent a peach of a strike into the top corner of the net to make it 3-0. Oban Camanachd fielded 17 year old Daniel MacVicar in their forward line and he had a great game against the more experienced John Barr. Just when Oban Camanachd boss Iain Hay thought the day couldn’t get any better, he was the only winner in the evening’s Oban Camanachd Superball draw, collecting £500!
Camanachd Cup – Quarter Finals Saturday 9 July 2016 Kilmallie 3 Oban Camanachd 4 The match of the day was at the Canal Parks where Oban Camanachd came from behind three times to eventually beat a determined Kilmallie side 4-3 in their Camanachd Cup quarter-final tie. Kilmallie had players back from the side that beat Inverness in the league a week earlier. Shane Gillies returned in goal whilst Martin Stewart and Liam MacDonald were also back and Peter Carmichael and Michael Rodger were free of one match suspensions. Oban Camanachd travelled with a full squad for this 3pm throw up. There was a minutes silence ahead of throw up to mark the passing of Oban Camanachd stalwart Duncan MacIntyre. The visitors had a couple of early chances but Kilmallie looked dangerous up front and they went in front on 24 minutes when Liam MacDonald punished the Oban Camanachd defence for failing to clear their lines. It only took Oban Camanachd a couple of minutes to level with Andrew MacCuish scoring. Brian MacKay put Kilmallie back in front with a shot from the left on 29 minutes but Andrew MacCuish again levelled on 33 minutes with a low drive into the bottom corner of the net. Just a minute later, Kilmallie took the lead for the third time when Duncan Rodger fired the ball home to the delight of the home crowd who now sensed a cup shock and Kilmallie took the 3-2 lead into the break. Andrew MacCuish completed his hat-trick with a low strike which went through the keeper’s legs on 51 minutes. The goal made it 3-3 and made MacCuish top scorer in the tournament so far. Oban Camanachd were playing well in the second period and they went in front for the first time in the tie on 63 minutes when Connor Howe poked the ball over the line following a goalmouth scramble to make it 4-3. And that’s the way it stayed. Oban Camanachd’s fitness gave them an advantage and Lorne Dickie turned in a man of the match performance at full centre. This was a great game of shinty, played in front of a big crowd who generated a fantastic atmosphere in the rain and it’s Oban Camanachd who go forward into the semi-final draw.
Camanachd Cup – Semi Final Saturday 13 August 2016 Camanachd Cup – Semi Final Saturday 13 August 2016 Lochaber 2 Oban Camanachd 4 Oban Camanachd are through to the 2016 Camanachd Cup Final after they defeated Lochaber 4-2 in their action-packed semi-final at the Taynuilt Sports Field. Lochaber’s Danny Delaney was free of suspension after he missed the previous weekend’s league win over Skye Camanachd. Manager Ally Ferguson left full centre Barry MacDonald on the bench as he’d been suffering from flu. Zandz Ferguson and Jack Dignan remained longer term absentees. Oban Camanachd had a free weekend the previous Saturday after their clash with Kyles Athletic at Tighnabruaich was postponed because of an unplayable field. Defender Garry Lord was out as he served the third match of a four game ban so Willie Neilson continued in defence. Manager Iain Hay selected David Lafferty in attack with Malcolm Clark on the bench. This 4.05pm throw up was broadcast live by BBC Alba and the Taynuilt pitch was in excellent condition. Lochaber attacked from the throw up. Neil MacDonald played in Shaun Nicolson who broke down the left wing before checking back and Oban Camanachd full back Gary McKerracher did well to deflect Nicolson’s shot away for a corner. It didn’t take Oban Camanachd long to go on the offensive and an Andrew MacCuish shot from the right went high into the side-netting. Shaun Nicolson took down a long Kevin Ferguson ball from the left and he held off a challenge from Willie Neilson before fizzing a shot just wide. However it was Oban Camanachd who took the lead seconds later. David Lafferty forced a corner on the Oban right which was taken by Scott MacMillan. The ball fell for Andrew MacCuish and his shot took a deflection off a Lochaber defender, wrong footing keeper Callum MacDonald, to give the Oban side a 1-0 lead with 8 minutes played. Andrew MacCuish was proving to be a handful and the Lochaber defence scrambled away a Scott MacMillan free-hit from the right under pressure from McCuish. The Lochaber support held their breath when a Callum MacDonald goal-hit went straight to Daniel MacVicar but the goalie redeemed himself; saving with his legs. Lochaber equalised on 18 minutes. Shaun Nicolson took a quick free-hit from wide on the right. He picked out Ben Delaney who had his back to goal. Delaney made just enough space to turn and he beat the keeper on his left side with a powerful drive to make it 1-1. Oban Camanachd’s response was instant though and Andrew MacCuish took down a Lorne Dickie cross from the right and he squeezed the ball past the keeper from inside the D to make it 2-1 with 20 minutes on the clock. Shaun Nicolson shot over following a free-hit midway through the first half and then, at the other end, Callum MacDonald saved with his feet from Daniel Cameron before the keeper again denied the same player from the resultant corner. A superb turn from Andrew MacCuish created a shooting chance but Lachie Campbell just managed to deflect the ball away for a corner. Play quickly switched to the other end and Lochaber had a chance to equalise on 29 minutes. Neil MacDonald collected an attempted clearance on the Oban right and he juggled the ball on his caman and burst into the D where he went down under a challenge from Willie Neilson. Referee Lachie Wood pointed to the spot after consulting with goal judge Graham Irving. However Gavin Stobbart reacted quickly to save Ben Delaney’s low spot-hit with his feet. Lochaber continued to press and Shaun Nicolson came close to a leveller with a shot from the right following a Brennan MacDonald shy from the same side. The Lochaber goal some-how survived on 37 minutes when Daniel MacVicar saw his initial shot saved by a diving Callum MacDonald and although MacVicar got onto the rebound; his effort came off the post before being eventually scrambled away. Oban Camanachd finished the half on the attack and they took their 2-1 lead into the break. Oban Camanachd were first to threaten in the second half and a low drive from Andrew MacCuish was saved with his feet by Callum MacDonald. Oban Camanachd extended their lead on 48 minutes. This time Andrew MacCuish turned provider as he picked up possession on the left and played a great cross to the edge of the D where Daniel MacVicar allowed the ball to run across his body before slamming in past a helpless Callum MacDonald to make it 3-1. Callum MacDonald did well to first palm down and then clear a long ball from Scott MacMillan with Daniel MacVicar looking to pounce on any error. Lochaber made a double-switch on 54 minutes as they tried to win back the midfield area. Barry MacDonald and Stuart Callison came on for Brennan MacDonald and Pat Toal. The Mossfield men had one foot in the final on 57 minutes when they made it 4-1. Andrew MacCuish found Daniel MacVicar down the Oban left. Lachie Campbell slipped and MacVicar darted away and he found Daniel Cameron. There seemed little danger as Cameron went for goal but back-hand shot sneaked past Callum MacDonald at his left post. As the tie approached the hour mark, there was a booking for Aiden McIntyre for kicking out at Barry MacDonald. Lochaber reintroduced Pat Toal for Kevin Ferguson on 61 minutes. Ferguson had to come off after taking a blow to the face which left him with a cut cheek. Lochaber showed that they weren’t going down without a fight as they made it 4-2 on 66 minutes. A great Neil MacDonald run from the left saw him flick the ball past an advancing Gavin Stobbart and the ball came back off the post but Ben Delaney bundled the rebound over the line for his second goal of the afternoon. Oban Camanachd made their first change as Malcolm Clark took over from Scott MacMillan on 68 minutes. Lochaber went on to have a period of pressure without overly troubling Gavin Stobbart in the Oban goal and when Oban returned on the attack, they looked to feed the ball to Daniel MacVicar at every opportunity. Iain MacMillan was introduced in place of Willie Neilson with 13 minutes remaining. Andrew MacCuish came close to completing his hat-trick when Daniel MacVicar flicked a ball from the right into his path but his shot was deflected for a corner. Both teams made changes as Kevin Ferguson came back on for Pat Toal and Robert Alexander took over from Aidan MacIntyre and then Danny Delaney replaced Neil MacDonald as the tie moved into the closing stages. Oban Camanachd were seeing out the closing stages and, with 3 minutes remaining, Barry MacDonald was yellow-carded for a challenge on Andrew MacCuish. A searing strike from substitute Robert Alexander rose over the ball following an Oban corner on the left. Gavin Stobbart had to race from his goal in stoppage time to get to a Shaun Nicolson through ball ahead of Ben Delaney. Scott MacMillan came on for Daniel Lafferty as Oban Camanachd defended a late free-hit which was cleared thanks to a superb Gary McKerracher tackle. It was the final incident of a thoroughly entertaining contest and it is Oban Camanachd who are through to their first Camanachd Cup Final since 2001, a competition they last won in 1996, and they will play Newtonmore at An Aird on Saturday 17 September 2016 for shinty’s biggest prize. The sides have yet to meet this season with their league encounters likely to take place after the final. Andrew MacCuish was named BBC Alba man of the match by shinty pundit Gary Innes.
Event Details The 2016 Camanachd Cup between Newtonmore and Oban Camanachd throws up at 2pm. Robert Baxter will be the match referee and he will be assisted by goal judges Graham Irving and Deek Cameron. The linesmen will be John Wood, Iain Kennedy, Ross Brown and Neil Ferguson whilst Innes Wood is the fourth official. Admission is £10 / £5 concessions whilst U12s go free if accompanied by a paying adult. The match will also be broadcast LIVE on BBC 2 Scotland from 1.45pm. |