Skye Camanachd 0 Caberfeidh 1 | |
31 July 2013 Skye Camanachd lost 1-0 to Caberfeidh in their crucial Marine Harvest North Division 1 meeting at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 27 July 2013. This was the third time the teams had met this season with Skye winning in Portree and drawing at Castle Leod. Skye Camanachd and Caberfeidh are battling it out for a third place finish which should be rewarded with a place in the next season’s new national second tier. Skye first team manager Willie MacRae had a number of absentees with Danny Morrison, Ally “Spod” MacLeod, Kenny MacLeod and Darryl Macintosh all injured. Shockie MacLennan, Gilleasbuig MacDonald, Kenny Campbell and Chris MacLennan were also unavailable whilst David Grant could not play until he sits out a second team one match suspension. However Steven Morrison returned after missing the defeat to Kilmallie. Paul MacKinnon started in attack and Jamie Gannon replaced Aonghas MacDonald in goal. Caberfeidh manager Stewart MacLennan saw his side come from 3-1 down to beat Inverness 4-3 last weekend. Ally MacLennan scored all four Caberfeidh goals and he was their danger-man. Full back Ian MacDonald was a late call off for Cabers so Brian MacDonald took up his defensive duties in what was just his second game back after injury. Alan MacDonald continued to replace Donald Mellis in goal for this 2pm throw up. Both sides had set piece opportunities during the opening 10 minutes in the Portree heat. Cabers failed to create anything from Ally MacLennan’s free-it but at the other end, an Iain Murray shy from the right found Jordan Murchison who took a touch before forcing a smart stop from Caberfeidh keeper Alan MacDonald and the ball was cleared for a corner. Skye came closest to opening the scoring on 16 minutes when Jordan Murchison came deep to collect possession and found Will Cowie on the wing. Cowie’s crossed was met by Ally “Cleodi” MacLeod by Alan MacDonald palmed away his effort. Caberfeidh full centre Ally MacLennan launched a half-volley on target from just inside his own half on 18 minutes but Jamie Gannon remained calm and palmed the ball away. The visitors were forced to make a substitution after 36 minutes when Jamie MacKintosh replaced Colin MacLennan who took a knock. It was a pretty scrappy first half which was largely fought in midfield. The visitors switched Ally MacLennan from full centre into attack from the start of the second period and they started to look the liker to break the deadlock. Cabers went within a whisker of taking the lead on 55 minutes. First Steven Morrison was penalised for a kick and Jodi Gorski played a simple free hit forward 20 yards from goal which found Jamie MacKintosh who didn’t get enough on his shot and Jamie Gannon turned the ball away to safety. Jamie MacKintosh got on the end of the resultant corner but his shot seemed to come back of the junction between post and bar. Jamie Gannon made a super save above his head from an Ally MacLennan snapshot on 59 minutes and Neil MacVicar put the ball out of play for a corner. Skye made their first change of the afternoon when Aonghas MacDonald replaced Ally “Cleodi” MacLeod in attack. A Jordan Murchison snap-shot flew across the Cabers goal on 67 minutes after he collected a Will Cowie pass. Ian Murray was replaced by Johan Angus MacInnes seconds later with Paul MacKinnon dropping back to take up Iain Murray’s wing centre role. Jamie Gannon did well to keep out a deflected Ally MacLennan shot on 68 minutes and he put the ball out for a corner with Calum MacCulloch looking to pick up any scraps. Skye had keeper Jamie Gannon to thank once again on 77 minutes when he again denied Ally MacLennan and Neil MacVicar cleared the danger. Jamie Gannon made the save of the match on 79 minutes when he first showed great reflexes to parry a vicious Ally MacLennan effort with his caman and he then volleyed the ball to safety to warm applause from around the ground. Caberfeidh made their second change of the afternoon when Malky Morrison came on in place of Calum MacCulloch on 84 minutes. Substitute Malky Morrison had the ball in the net a couple of minutes later but the goal was ruled out as Morrison had pushed DJ Gilpin before scoring. Callum MacCulloch made a quick return to the action to take over from Jodi Gorski who seemed to have picked up a hamstring problem. Caberfeidh’s Blair Morrison was booked for comments made to referee Ronnie Campbell as the game seemed to be drifting to a goalless finish. The only goal of the game came from a controversial penalty award in stoppage time. The goal judged flagged to bring the referee’s attention to a kick by a Skye defender inside the D. Referee Ronnie Campbell had not spotted the incident but pointed to the spot on the goal judge’s advice. Skye defender Allan MacKinnon was booked for taking his complaints too far as the home team protested furiously. Cabers Craig Morrison kept his nerve to expertly slam the penalty over Jamie Gannon’s left shoulder to give Caberfeidh the points. The final whistle went at the restart and Cabers now trail Skye by just one point but they have three remaining games – away to Kilmallie and Beauly and at home to Strathglass - whilst the Islanders have just one match to go – away to Beauly in a fortnight’s time. Indeed the Castle Leod club are in a rich vein of form having now taken eleven points out of a possible twelve in their last six fixtures. Cabers captain Iain MacColl, Lee Nicol and the impressive Ally MacLennan were best for the visitors. Jamie Gannon was best for Skye, ahead of Allan MacKinnon whilst Ally MacDonald continues to impress at wing centre. Skye Camanachd from: Jamie Gannon, Steven Morrison (captain), Neil MacVicar, DJ Gilpin, Allan MacKinnon, Iain Murray, Chris Rose, Ally MacDonald, Paul MacKinnon, Jordan Murchison, Will Cowie, Ally “Cleodi” MacLeod, subs Aonghas MacDonald, John Angus MacInnes, Magnus Burd Caberfeidh from: Alan MacDonald, Brian MacDonald, Scott MacLean, Lee Nicol, Iain MacColl (captain), Jodi Gorski, Ally MacLennan, Calum MacCulloch, Colin MacLennan, Blair Morrison, Craig Morrison, Ruairidh MacLennan, subs Jamie MacKintosh, Malky Morrison Match Referee – Ronnie Campbell The match balls were sponsored by Nor-Dan |