Memory Lane - 2000 / 2001 Shinty Season Part 17/20 | |
08 January 2016 As Skye Camanachd look forward to their first season in shinty’s top division since 2002, let’s look back to the 2000 / 01 season, Skye’s first year in the national top tier. The Islanders only spell in the National Premier Division came when they won promotion from the National League Division 1 after a final-day win over Lochcarron at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree at the end of the 1999 / 2000 season. Skye joined Fort William, Glenorchy, Kilmallie, Kingussie, Kyles Athletic Newtonmore and Oban Camanachd in an eight team top flight in hope of winning the championship but with a definite aim of avoiding finishing bottom of the table which would mean relegation. After picking up two points in their previous two matches, Skye travelled South to Tighnabruaich to play Kyles Athletic with optimism.
Saturday 21 April 2001 Marine Harvest National Premier Division Kyles Athletic 3 Skye Camanachd 2 Skye Camanachd went down by the odd goal in five when they lost 3-2 to Kyles Athletic. Skye were to suffer heart-ache as Kyles keeper Kenny MacDonald denied them with a series of super saves to give the home side both points. Kyles took the lead on 6 minutes when David Martin got away from marker Willie MacRae to get on the end of a free-hit and he tucked the ball into the corner of the net. Kenny MacDonald then made a great stop from a John MacLean rocket. MacDonald wasn’t finished. He first saved a Peter Gordon thunder-bolt and then, on 27 minutes, he stopped a Somhairle MacDonald shot under the crossbar. To make matters worse for Skye, Ronnie MacVicar found space to score on 36 minutes, making it it 2-0 to the home side. Skye were given hope when they finally scored with a minute of the first half remaining. Dougie Rankin picked out Somhairle MacDonald with a free-hit and MacDonald fired into the top corner of the net. It was a special finish and it needed to be to beat Kenny MacDonald who managed to get his caman to the ball but he couldn’t keep it out of the net. Kenny MacDonald then went on to thwart Somhairle MacDonald and Willie Cowie before the Islanders got a 59 minute leveller. Willie Cowie collected a Dougie Rankin free-hit and he dummied past Colin MacColl before shooting home to make it 2-2. However Kyles scored what proved to be the winner just 3 minutes later when David Martin latched on to a poor clearance out of the Skye defence and he smashed the ball into the top corner of the net for his second goal of the game to make it 3-2. Skye threw everything at the Kyles goal but with Kenny MacDonald saving from Willie Cowie, Peter Gordon, Somhairle MacDonald and John MacLean before the end, they were unable to draw level so Kyles took the points. |