Skye Camanachd Ladies 2 Glengarry Ladies 1 | |
01 July 2014 Skye Camanachd Ladies are through to the Valerie Fraser Cup Final for the first time after they beat Glengarry Ladies 2-1 in their semi-final meeting at Balgate on Sunday 22 June 2014. Catriona Gibb and Helen Lamond were unavailable for Skye and captain Roz Lamond, who was recovering from a broken finger, started on the bench. However Ilana Paterson returned to the starting line-up after injury but for this 12.30pm throw up. This is only the second time Skye Ladies have entered the Valerie Fraser Cup and they made it to the semi-final stage last year where they lost out to by a very strong and experienced Glasgow Mid Argyll side. Skye received a bye in the quarter-finals of this year’s competition but were made to work for their win in the semi-final stage. The tie started with both teams pressing hard to gain an early advantage. Skye’s Lorna MacRae was pulled back to full centre which added some strength to the Islanders’ centre line. This allowed Skye to control much of the play but Glengarry’s Joanne Gillanders, who played full back, was having a great game and she stopped a number of dangerous Skye attacks. As the game went on, Glengarry stepped up a gear and began to look more threatening every time they got the ball. Ashleigh Fraser and Paige MacDonald were combining well for Glengarry, causing all sorts of confusion in the Skye defence. Eventually Glengarry’s pressure paid off and on 13 minutes, Paige MacDonald fired home a loose ball from around 15 yards in front of goal. Following the goal, the game went up another level and both teams were pushing hard to get control of the tie. Glengarry twice went close to increasing their lead through Laura MacKay, who came on half-way through the first half at full forward rather than her more accustomed full back position. Cristina MacDonald had come on for Ilana Paterson during the first half and she made a very impressive debut for the Islanders. Skye fought back and they were rewarded on 25 minutes when Anna MacDonald evened the tie with a sweetly struck low drive which the Glengarry keeper was unable to get behind and the contest remained level until the break. The second half was a much tighter half. Both two teams were getting plenty ball to their forwards but defences were on top, not allowing anything through. Extra-time was starting to look more and more likely but with 5 minutes to go, Skye coaches Sarah Corrigall and Robbie Gordon decided to gamble and push full back Caitlin Maclean forward to try and grab a winning goal. Their tactics paid off when, with just 3 minutes remaining, MacLean found herself in the right place at the right time and she was first onto a rebound and, to the delight of the Skye support, she forced the ball over the line to take Skye through to the final. Glasgow Mid Argyll Ladies beat Lochaber Ladies 9-0 in the second semi-final at the same venue later in the afternoon. This means that Skye Camanachd Ladies and Glasgow Mid Argyll Ladies will meet in the 2014 Valerie Fraser Cup Final at Strachurmore on Saturday 6 September 2014. Skye Camanachd Ladies from: Sarah Corrigall; Nicola MacSween, Caitlin MacLean, Ilana Paterson; Izzy Law, Lorna MacRae, Emma Gordon; Jenna Beaton, Kirsty Dibble, Anna MacDonald; subs Roz Lamond (captain), Cristina MacDonald, Kristen MacBeth, Fiona Lamond, Nicole MacRae Match Referee – Archie Ritchie |