Strathglass 3 Skye Camanachd 5 | |
10 July 2017 Skye Camanachd are the only team from outwith shinty’s top flight to reach the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup semi-finals after they beat Strathglass 5-3 in their last-eight tie at Cannich on Saturday 8 July 2017. Lewis Douglas was missing for Strathglass for this 2.30pm throw up whilst Michael Stokes was moved to full forward after playing buckshee forward in against the Islanders a week earlier. There is just one change from the sixteen-man squad which beat Strathglass in the league last weekend as Daniel Morrison is with the second team. Skye forward Jordan Murchison was still sidelined with a foot injury. Defender John Gillies has had the cast removed from his broken wrist and is working his way back to a first team return. The sides had already met three times this season with Skye winning each time; the latest a 6-0 league win in Portree just 7 days earlier. After the previous week’s win, Skye manager Willie Cowie was determined his team wouldn’t show any complacency for their biggest game of the season so far and they got off to the best possible start as early goals from Danny Morrison and Iain MacLellan had them 2-0 ahead within the first 5 minutes. Will Cowie slipped in Danny Morrison for the opener with Morrison hitting a back-hand strike from 15 yards out into the roof of the net. James Pringle then cut in from the left in the lead up to Skye’s second goal and his low shot was saved with his foot by Strathglass keeper Ally MacAdams. However the ball spun loose and Iain MacLellan rushed in to volley the rebound into the net. And there was more from the visitors as a lovely move down the Skye right on 25 minutes ended with Will Cowie crossing to Danny Morrison and his 12 yard shot flew low into the net for his second goal of the game. However Scott Douglas pulled a goal back with a good finish a minute later. Will Cowie made it 4-1 from the penalty spot up a couple of minutes before the break with referee Graham Cameron spotting Skye forward Iain MacLellan being pulled back inside the D. Cowie sent the penalty low and hard past the helpless keeper. However Strathglass made a determined start to the second period and Josh Fraser reduced the deficit a minute after the restart when he crashed the ball high into the net from a tight angle on the left. Whether it was a case of Skye relaxing or Strathglass upping their game – or a bit of both - when Darren Reid made it 4-3 with another good strike around the hour mark, Skye knew they had a fight on their hands. Strathglass were dealt a blow when Scott Douglas suffered a had knock. It was left for Will Cowie to ease the Islanders’ nerves when he made it 5-3 on 83 minutes. James Pringle played a free-hit from 20 yards out back to Cowie and his low, hard drive found the net. The goal, Cowie’s sixth of the competition, makes him the tournament’s top scorer so far. Skye now join Lovat, Newtonmore and Oban Camanachd in Monday’s Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup semi-final draw. Skye Camanachd from: Iain MacLeod; Ally MacDonald, Ally “Cleodi” MacLeod, Allan MacLeod, Neil MacVicar; Iain Nicolson, Kenny Campbell (captain), Stewart Grant; Danny Morrison, James Pringle, Iain MacLellan, Will Cowie; subs Gilleasbuig MacDonald, Kenny MacLeod, Calum Gibb Match Referee – Graham Cameron Scorers Strathglass Scott Douglass (26) Josh Fraser (46) Darren Reid (60) Skye Camanachd Danny Morrison (1, 25) Iain MacLellan (5) Will Cowie (43 pen, 83) |