Inverness 1 Skye Camanachd 3 | |
23 June 2014 Skye Camanachd reached the Balliemore Cup Final for the first time since 2008 with a 3-1 win over Inverness at Battery Park on Saturday 14 June 2014. Inverness manager Allan MacLeod welcomed defender Adam MacMaster back into his side following a facial injury sustained against Skye in the recent league encounter. Dougie Rankin missed the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup defeat to Inveraray the previous weekend but he was back in at wing forward. However Martin Davidson was missing so John MacLennan started at full forward. Skye Camanachd manager John MacLeod made just one change from the squad which lost out 2-1 to Fort William in last weekend’s RBS MacTavish Plate Final. Reserve keeper Iain MacLeod was added to the 17 man squad in place of Iain MacLellan. There was also just one change to the Islanders starting line-up as Neil MacVicar came in for Ally “Spod” MacLeod who dropped down to the bench. Chris Rose and Will Cowie started despite suffering the effects of flu. A good Skye support gathered ahead of throw up on a warm west coast day and the Battery Park pitch was in excellent condition. Skye, with the wind at their backs, shot towards the bottom goal in the first half but it was Inverness who made the more positive start in the opening minutes without troubling Jamie Gannon in the Skye goal. However when Skye settled, they pressed the Inverness defence and it was no great surprise when they went in front on 8 minutes. Kenny Campbell did well to get away from his marker on the Skye right before crossing to Shockie MacLennan who had his back to goal. MacLennan flicked the ball into the air before volleying it into the net to make it 1-0. Skye full centre Iain Murray needed treatment after receiving a blow to the leg but he remained on the field of play. Inverness goalie Stuart MacRae made a great save with his hand from Kenny Campbell who was played in on goal. The Inverness goalie was flattened in the ensuing melee and his side were awarded a free-hit. The Skye forwards’ movement was causing problems for the Inverness defence. Will Cowie appeared to be fouled by Arran MacMaster as he broke forward and referee Daniel MacRae played a good advantage. The passing move continued from Cowie to Allan MacKinnon to Shockie MacLennan to Danny Morrison who saw his shot saved by keeper MacRae. Kenny Campbell tried to get in on the rebound but Daniel Palombo cleared the danger. Will Cowie threatened to burst forward but was tripped by Arran MacMaster and the Inverness captain was again spoke to by the referee. Stuart MacRae made another fantastic save moments later. The move started when Iain Murray won the ball in midfield and found Kenny Campbell. Campbell sent the ball down the middle where Shockie MacLennan flicked it into the path of Will Cowie but MacRae made a brilliant point-blank save with his feet and Adam MacMaster cleared the ball out of play for a Skye shy. Skye doubled their lead on 33 minutes. Danny Morrison controlled a poor goal-hit and he played the ball down the left wing to Shockie MacLennan who got away from his marker before crossing to the front post where Kenny Campbell flicked the ball home on his back-hand to make it 2-0. Skye boss John MacLeod made the first change of the afternoon on 34 minutes when Iain Murray limped off. Jordan Murchison came on in his place. Kenny Campbell dropped back to wing centre with Gilleasbuig MacDonald slotting in a full centre. Dougie Rankin managed to work his way into the Skye goal area but Neil MacVicar stepped in to halt his progress. There was controversy on 37 minutes when Shockie MacLennan got by Zander Grant and latched onto a Gilleasbuig MacDonald ball down the middle. MacLennan seemed to be pushed by Grant and he collided with the out-rushing keeper MacRae. Both players required treatment and there was a stop in play for 4 minutes. MacLennan had briefly lost consciousness following the collision and he was replaced by Kenny MacLeod on the advice of the Skye medical team. MacRae carried on although he clearly had some discomfort in his shoulder. Inverness moved Charlie MacDonald to full forward with John MacLennan going to buckshee forward and Connor Golabek switching to the wing in a bid to change their forwards. Inverness player Connor Golabek was booked by referee Daniel MacRae for speaking out of turn. As the first half moved into stoppage time, John MacLennan caused problems in the Skye goal area but Ally MacDonald cleared the danger. Inverness came back and a Dougie Rankin went close to pulling a goal back with a fine shot. Skye fought back and a neat one-touch move could have had a better outcome if the unmarked Will Cowie could have been found on the left. Kenny MacLeod wriggled free and saw his shot rise over the bar. Jamie Gannon cleared the ball with John MacLennan in close attention in what was the last chance at the end of four minutes of first half stoppage time. Inverness now had the breeze at their backs and they made a strong start to the second half. Dougie Rankin found Connor Golabek with a nice reverse pass down the right but the Inverness forward shot over when he might have been better cutting the ball back across goal. Dougie Rankin almost made it onto the end of a Liam Girvan ball as Inverness tried to pull a goal back. Skye wing centre Allan MacKinnon found his way into referee Daniel MacRae’s book for something he said. Skye’s Chris Rose came off on 57 minutes with Iain Murray coming back on. Gilleasbuig MacDonald took over from Rose at buckshee back with Murray assuming his usual full centre role. Seconds later, Stuart MacRae made another good save when Danny Morrison turned his marker following an Allan MacKinnon shy but the keeper saved well. Inverness pulled a goal back on 67 minutes when former Skye player Dougie Rankin controlled a pass from Charlie MacDonald on the Inverness left and he drifted a shot high into the Skye net to make it 2-1. This meant for a nervy period in the match but Skye seemed determined to restore their two goal advantage and Jordan Murchison saw a shot deflected away for a corner on 73 minutes. A series of fouls broke up the play and neither side seemed able to take a grip of the game. Stuart MacRae made a fine double save – first halting a Will Cowie drive with his feet and then denying Danny Morrison from the rebound. Dougie Rankin broke free on 77 minutes but he just showed too much of the ball to Ally MacDonald who put in a blocking challenge before clearing the danger. Skye won a free-hit when Will Cowie was fouled by Arran MacMaster and the Inverness captain was booked for persistent fouling. Skye were unable to profit from Gilleasbuig MacDonald’s free hit. Danny Morrison got on the end of a Jordan Murchison pass and shot into the side-netting. Danny Morrison saw a shot rise over the bar as Skye looked to kill off the tie and it was the final bit of action for Morrison as he was replaced by David Grant with the tie moving into the closing stages. A hook shot from Dougie Rankin, following a Charlie MacDonald ball forward, went past the post and drew a gasp from the Skye support which emphasised just how close the scoreline was as the game moved into the final three of minutes However Skye nerves were settled seconds later. Liam Girvan fouled Allan MacKinnon from Steven Morrison’s resultant goal-hit. The set-piece was a fraction inside the Inverness half on the Skye right. Allan MacKinnon took the dead-ball and played the free down the middle. Substitute David Grant got the deftest of touches onto the ball and fellow substitute Kenny MacLeod crashed a shot past Stuart MacRae to make it 3-1 with 88 minutes played and Skye were through to the final. The final whistle signalled warm applause from the Skye support for their team and the Islanders’ win is further evidence of a much improved season compared to last term. Keeper Stuart MacRae was best for Inverness who were also well served by the lively Connor Golabeck. Shockie MacLennan and Iain Murray made telling contributions for Skye and both were missed when they went off. Steven Morrison, Ally MacDonald and Neil MacVicar were also worthy of being singled out. Skye will now face Ballachulish in the 2014 Balliemore Final which will take place at the Taynuilt Sports Field on Saturday 12 July 2014. Inverness from: Stuart MacRae; Zander Grant, Adam MacMaster, Daniel Palombo, Arran MacMaster (captain); Mark Sproule, Innes Simpson, Liam Girvan; Connor Golabek, Charlie MacDonald, Dougie Rankin, John MacLennan; subs Michael Price, Scott Watson, Craig Nicolson, Craig Girvan, Allan MacLeod Skye Camanachd from: Jamie Gannon; Steven Morrison, Neil MacVicar, Ally MacDonald, Chris Rose; Allan MacKinnon, Iain Murray, Gilleasbuig MacDonald (captain); Will Cowie, Kenny Campbell, Danny Morrison, Shockie MacLennan; subs Jordan Murchison, Kenny MacLeod, David Grant, Ally “Spod” MacLeod, Iain MacLeod Match Referee – Daniel MacRae Goal Judges – Roddy Gillies, Roy MacKay Scorers Inverness Dougie Rankin (67) Skye Camanachd Shockie MacLennan (8) Kenny Campbell (33) Kenny MacLeod (88) |