Skye Camanachd Ladies 2 Glasgow Mid Argyll Ladies 4 | |
04 August 2015 Skye Camanachd Ladies title chances suffered a blow when they lost 4-2 to Glasgow & Mid Argyll Ladies in their Marine Harvest National Division 1 meeting at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 1 August 2015. Anna MacDonald returned to the Skye squad after injury but captain Jenna Beaton and Catriona Gibb were missing. There was a first start in attack for Abby MacLean GMA were without the influential Lisa MacColl and they travelled with just one substitute. This match was able to go ahead because the ladies used a shorter pitch which excluded the problematic goalmouth areas which had led to the postponement of the Marine Harvest National Division match between Skye Camanachd and Beauly which was due to take place later in the afternoon. Throw up was scheduled for noon but some heavy rain, both overnight and in the morning, left surface water on the pitch. The teams considered switching the contest to the Astro pitch at Portree High School and even re-scheduling the match to a later date. However they opted to delay throw up half an hour to avoid a passing shower and to allow some surface water to drain from the pitch. There was delayed coverage of the whole match broadcast on radio and online by Cuillin FM on their “Camanachd Live” show from 2pm. Skye attacked the Viewfield end of the ground in the first half. The Skye defence did well to defend a GMA set-piece from the right, around 12 yards out, on 5 minutes as Katie Drain tried to set up a chance but Emma Gordon cleared the danger. GMA took the lead on 13 minutes when Joan Nicolson got away from her marker and ran in on the Skye goal. The Skye defence tried to get the ball away but Nicolson was persistent and she slotted the ball low into the Skye net to make it 1-0. A heavy shower started to fall and Skye got their first shot on goal after 15 minutes but Stephanie Keenan saved Lorna MacRae’s effort following an Izzy Law shy from the right. The Skye defence survived a scare on 18 minutes when Katie Drain set up Joan Nicolson who sent the ball goalwards but Sarah Corrigall just managed to sweep the ball off the goal line. A minute later, Sarah Corrigall saved a back-hand shot from Joan Nicolson with her feet before clearing the ball for a corner which was well defended by Emma Gordon. Joan Nicolson got her and GMA’s second on 24 minutes when she thumped a loose ball over Sarah Corrigall’s shoulder after the Skye defence had passed up a chance to clear their lines. Joan Nicolson went close again on 26 minutes but her shot went past the post. A Lorna MacRae strike on 29 minutes took a deflection which took the sting out of the shot and Stephanie Keenan cleared the ball for a corner. Skye enjoyed a period of pressure before Sarah Corrigall again saved from Joan Nicolson and the Skye keeper was able to clear the ball ahead of the on-rushing Katie Drain. Stephanie Keenan was called into action again on 35 minutes after Abby MacLean collected an Ilana Paterson pass before making a good run forward. Keenan turned MacLean’s shot away for a corner which was eventually scrambled to safety by the visiting defence. Joan Nicolson completed a first half hat-trick a goal on 37 minutes when she got onto the end of a Lindsay Michie cross before slotting the ball into the corner of the net to make it 4-0. GMA’s Kirsty Gray was replaced by Eleanor Fraser with only a couple of first half minutes remaining. Skye need a score and they pulled a goal back a minute before the break. An Ilana Paterson shy from the Skye left was picked up by Anna MacDonald who played in Abby MacLean and she finished confidently from a tight angle to make it 3-1 at half-time. An Eleanor Fraser shot went wide following a GMA attack early in the second half. Good play from Lorna MacRae created a shooting opportunity but MacRae’s final effort rose over the bar. However Joan Nicolson got her and GMA’s fourth goal 10 minutes into the second half and she needed no invitation to drive the ball low into the net past a helpless Sarah Corrigall to make it 4-1. Stephanie Keenan did well to deal with a difficult bouncing ball from Lorna MacRae and the keeper saved with her feet before clearing. A good challenge from Christy Docherty, who was excellent throughout, denied Anna MacDonald a shooting chance on 57 minutes after good lead-up play from Lorna MacRae and Abby MacLean. Keeper Keenan swept the ball out for a corner and MacRae shot past the post from the resultant set-piece. Abby MacLean got her second goal on 61 minutes to make it 4-2 as she flicked the ball past the keeper after a great pass infield from Ilana Paterson. GMA stormed forward from the restart and Sarah Corrigall made a good save from Katie Drain. Sarah Corrigall saved from Eleanor Fraser following a GMA free-hit on 64 minutes. Abby MacLean latched onto an Ilana Paterson ball over the top a minute later but Stephanie Keenan made a fine save with her feet before clearing the ball for a corner. There was excitement in the Skye support on 67 minutes when Caitlin MacLean chipped a free-hit into the GMA goal area. However as it was an indirect free-hit, Stephanie Keenan wisely allowed the ball to drop untouched into the net and a GMA goal-hit was the outcome. Kirsty Gray came back on for Eleanor Fraser moments later. Abby MacLean looked like Skye’s best bet for a goal and she showed great control to take down a Lorna MacRae ball forward but she sent her shot jut the wrong side of the goal with 71 minutes played. Lorna MacRae rattled the post with a shot from the left a couple of minutes later and the ball spun across goal to safety, much to the frustration of the Skye camp. Abby MacLean collected a Lorna MacRae pass with 4 minutes remaining but the GMA defence quickly gathered round her and the ball stuck in the mud. Referee Murchison signalled for crossed-camans and although GMA cleared the ball, it fell for Lorna MacRae and her well-struck effort went over the bar. There was still just enough time for Abby MacLean to play a free-hit to Ilana Paterson and her first-time shot went narrowly wide. Emma Gordon and Abby MacLean shone for Skye whilst Christy Docherty and four-goal Joan Nicolson were best for GMA. The 4-2 defeat puts an end to Skye’s title chances for this season but they have the chance to bounce back next weekend when they travel to the Dell to play Badenoch & Strathspey Ladies. Skye Camanachd Ladies from: Sarah Corrigall, Emma Gordon, Christina MacDonald, Nicola MacSween; Ilana Paterson, Lorna MacRae (captain), Izzy Law; Caitlin MacLean, Abby MacLean, Anna MacDonald; subs Kirsty Dibble, Katherine Dibble, Fiona Lamond, Korri Henderson Glasgow Mid Argyll Ladies: Stephanie Keenan; Christy Docherty, Kirsty McLay, Laura McCafferty; Alana McGarrie, Rachel McCafferty, Lindsay Michie; Kirsty Gray Katie Drain, Joan Nicolson; sub Eleanor Fraser Match Referee – Angie Murchison The match balls were sponsored by Nor-Dan |