Skye Camanachd 5 Inveraray 1 | |
03 October 2022 Skye Camanachd pulled level on points with Mowi National Division league leaders Beauly after beating third placed Inveraray 5-1 in their 3pm throw up at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 1 October 2022. Skye’s Will Cowie recovered from an arm injury sustained in the previous week’s win over Glenurquhart. Somhairle MacDonald returned but Iain MacLellan was unavailable. A hamstring problem restricted Martin Pringle to a place on the bench. Inveraray travelled with a strong squad, fielding Ross MacMillan in attack, but the huge five-hour journey north had them arriving in Portree within an hour of throw up. Throw up is at 3pm and the whole match will be broadcast LIVE on Radio Skye’s Camanachd LIVE show. A very heavy rain-shower ahead of throw up, and another as the match was starting, left pockets of water on the pitch but there was no doubt that the game would go ahead. Skye had the early pressure with Fraser Watt’s shot over the top coming from a rare Inveraray attack. Skye took the lead on 20 minutes. Ross Gordon’s cross-field pass found Jordan Murchison and although Inveraray defender Robert Wood blocked his first effort, Murchison sent the rebound low into the corner of the net. Ross Gordon made it 2-0 with a well-worked goal on 22 minutes. John Gillies won possession and, as he was falling, managed to slip the ball to Jordan Murchison on the right. Murchison could have shot goalwards but instead cut an unselfish ball to Ross Gordon in central position and, despite the muddied goal area, Gordon steered the ball into the net. Inveraray’s Ruaraidh Graham was yellow-carded for a challenge which caught Skye’s Chris Rose above the knee with Rose later limping off to be replaced by Somhairle MacDonald. Skye had their tails up and Jordan Murchison got his second and Skye’s third on 34 minutes. Ross Gordon’s shot from the left was palmed away by Inveraray keeper Scott MacLachlan, but Jordan Murchison reacted before marker Robert Wood to turn the rebound home. Inveraray manager Ruaraidh Graham had seen enough and Lewis Montgomery and young Ruaraidh Graham came off in favour of John Kennedy and Allan Cameron although the Graham returned soon after in favour of Robert Wood Skye weren’t finished though and they rounded off an excellent first half performance when Jordan Murchison completed his hat-trick on 44 minutes. Jamie Gillies sent a hit-in from the left which found Somhairle MacDonald, and he picked out Jordan Murchison who gleefully stroked the ball home, bringing Skye’s best 45 minutes of the season to an end. Jordan Murchison was withdrawn at the break with Saturday’s match at Beauly in mind. James Pringle, who had replaced an injured Ross Gordon late in the first half, added a fifth Skye goal on 57 minutes. Good play from Ross MacKinnon inside his own half saw the Skye full centre send the ball forward from the left. Will Cowie controlled the ball just outside the penalty spot before sending a wonderfully measured pass forward and James Pringle ran in to beat the keeper and make it 5-0. Pringle had a similar opportunity soon after but this time Scott MacLachlan was quickly off his line to save well with his feet at the expense of a corner. Inveraray, with Campbell Watt excellent when on the ball, went on the have their best period in the game and they went close on a couple of occasions before Fraser Watt won possession in a central position before passing to Allan MacDonald, wide on the left of the D. MacDonald sent a blistering shot high over Skye keeper Murphy Henderson’s left shoulder to make it 5-1 on 79 minutes. It was the first goal Skye had conceded in open play since mid-July. The contest was tousy at times and Skye’s James Morrison and Inveraray’s Ross MacMillan were both booked by referee Calum Girvan following a skirmish in the middle of the park. Then, just minutes later, MacMillan tripped Morrison following a corner from the Inveraray left and a second booking, followed by a red card, left Inveraray a man short for the closing stages. Skye can now look forward to a top of the table clash at Beauly on Saturday whilst Inveraray, who have still to host Skye and travel to Beauly, are relying on a major slip-up from the top-two to be promoted. Skye Camanachd from: Murphy Henderson: John Gillies, Sam Macphee, James Morrison, William MacKinnon: Chris Rose, Ross MacKinnon, Ally ‘Cleodi’ Macleod (captain): Will Cowie, Jamie Gillies, Ross Gordon, Jordan Murchison: subs Somhairle MacDonald, Taylor Matheson, James Pringle, Martin Pringle Inveraray from: Scott MacLachlan (captain): Robert Wood, Ross Montgomery, Coll MacKay, Hamish MacLennan: Davie McAlister, Ruaraidh Graham, Lewis Montgomery: Ross MacMillan, Fraser Watt, Campbell Watt, Allan MacDonald subs John Kennedy, Allan Cameron, Ruaraidh Graham Match Referee – Calum Girvan Skye Camanachd home fixtures are sponsored by Macleod and MacCallum solicitors, estate agents and letting agents, serving the Highlands & Islands for more than 50 years. |