The Shinty Round Up - Saturday 4 January 2020 | |
05 January 2020 Several clubs brought in the New Year as the countdown begins to the start of the competitive 2020 shinty season.
Lovat Retain Lovat Cup Lovat lifted the Lovat Cup for the fifth successive year, beating Beauly 3-1 as the sides marked the New Year at Balgate on Thursday 2 January 2020. This was a first match in charge for new Lovat co-managers Alan MacRae and Jamie Matheson and they had Drew Howie back in their line-up as he made his return after travelling abroad for a year and he started at wing centre. There was also a start for Bailey MacKay in midfield with Marc MacLachlan, Chris Johnson and Lewis Bryson making up the bench. Duncan Davidson and Martin Mainland were missing. Beauly, who last won the trophy in 2015, have former boss Roger Cormack, stalwart Jamie MacLennan and first team regular Sean Stewart looking after the side this season and they named an eighteen player squad for this 1pm throw up. The usual good crowd from throughout the shinty community gathered for this game and there was a minute’s silence ahead of throw up following the passing of Beauly stalwart and former President and Camanachd Association Patron, Willie MacDonald. Greg Matheson, so influential in this fixture in recent years, lined-up in the Lovat attack after missing the 2019 encounter with a knee injury and he wasted no time making his mark as he gave his side an opening minute lead. Fraser Heath won a long ball forward from full centre Callum Cruden and played it inside to Lewis Tawse whose reverse ball went into the D. Beauly keeper MacKay Murray came off his line to clear from the right of the D, under pressure from Greg Matheson, but Lewis Tawse managed to regain possession, touching the ball forward to Matheson who blasted home from a tight angle on the left. Beauly had a chance on 8 minutes when Callum Flynn got away from Danny Kelly. Flynn knocked the ball forward and then got to it before keeper Stuart MacDonald, who raced from his line, but Flynn’s shot from the left flew across goal. Lovat doubled their lead on 10 minutes. Lorne MacKay’s short free-hit from a central position found Lewis Tawse with his back to goal and Tawse took a touch inside before turning and hammering the ball into the net to make it 2-0. Greg Matheson saw a strike come back off the post on 40 minutes and, with just a couple of first half minutes remaining, Beauly’s Jack MacDonald was foiled when Stuart MacDonald made a great save with his club from MacDonald’s well-struck shot. Greg Matheson hit the post for a second time on 55 minutes and Lorne MacKay struck the outside of the stanchion from the rebound. Beauly rallied though and never let their heads drop and, with the rain now falling and the pitch cutting up, there were 69 minutes played before Greg Matheson got his second and Lovat’s third. A fine ball down the left from Graeme MacMillan allowed Fraser Heath to spin away from Angus Renwick and Heath cut in to the front of the D but wasn’t able to get a shot away. However Matheson ran across goal from the right, taking a touch on the run before firing a shot, on his back-hand, low across the keeper into the corner of the net from the left of the D. Greg Matheson was denied a hat-trick on 77 minutes when he had the ball in the net but his effort didn’t count as one of his team-mates was offside. Beauly pulled a goal back with 10 minutes remaining. Jack MacDonald played a bouncing ball wide to David Fraser on the right and Fraser caught out the Lovat rear-guard as he volleyed a superb shot over keeper Stuart MacDonald’s right shoulder to make the final score 3-1. Lovat captain Callum Cruden was presented with the Lovat Cup by Lord Lovat Simon Fraser and the celebrations carried forward into the club’s annual dance that same evening. Calum Girvan was the match referee, assisted by goal judges Finlay Ross and Tina Marshall.
Celtic Youngsters Win Boxing Day Bragging Rights The Oban Celtic young guns were 3-2 winners against the Oban Celtic old crocks in their annual clash at Mossfield on Thursday 26 December 2019. The young guns started on the front foot, applying steady pressure on the old crocks goal and, after 15 minutes, the deadlock was broken when a blistering shot from Daniel MacMillan flew into the roof of the net to make it 1-0. The game went on to flow from end to end but the old crocks rear guard of John McCormack, Lorne Robertson, Robert Gillies and David Hill was undone once more, this time by Lennon Campbell who fired home a rocket shot from all of 30 yards. The old crocks, with Donald MacKay and Damien MacIntyre leading the forward line, were beginning to work the young guns’ back line towards the end of the half but were unable to find the net and the half ended 2-0. Both teams made several changes for the start of the second half; the most notable being first team manager Dougie MacIntyre taking over from Jack Hill in the old crocks goal and he went on to produce a string of great saves to keep his side in the game. With the old crocks’ defence and keeper standing firm, it was Scott Burnett who pulled a goal back to make it 2-1 and the veterans went on to enjoy their best period in the match with Lee Askew, Alan Duffy, Donald MacKay and Scott Burnett now keeping play towards the young guns goal. However it was the young guns who managed to restore their two-goal cushion following a fast breakaway that perhaps the old crocks may have kept up with had they been 30 years younger. The goal came from an unlikely source with Lewis Mcphee making it 3-1 and it was set up by the two youngest players on the park with 13 year old Duncan MacEwan playing a ball up the line to an even younger Iain Duffy at 10 years. Duffy slipped the ball through to the on-rushing Macphee and, with keeper MacIntyre coming out to narrow the angle, Macphee calmly slotted the ball through MacIntyre's legs and into the net. Only 10 minutes later, the old crocks cat the deficit again, this time through Allan Duffy with a well taken shot from 20 yard out. This made for an exciting final 10 minutes with both teams pushing for what would be a crucial next goal but neither could add to their tally. Referee Andrew MacKenzie was in control throughout and his final whistle meant the young team retained the bragging rights, building on their 4-3 victory in 2018. Young team captain Ross MacMillan collected the Carnie & Pearson memorial trophy from Jim and June Pearson at the prize giving afterwards with Lorne Robertson given the man of the match accolade.
Kingussie 2020 Come Out On Top The Kingussie 2020 squad lifted the Bob Sinclair Memorial Trophy with a 3-1 victory over the Kingussie All-Stars at Market Stance on New Year’s Day. James Falconer for the 2020 side and Louis Munro for the All-Stars had the score level at 1-1 at half-time. However Savio Genini and Ryan Macwilliam both netted after the break to give the Kingussie 2020 squad a 3-1 victory. When referee Davie Anderson blew for time, the Bob Sinclair Memorial Trophy was given to Kingussie 2020 captain Rory MacKeachan by Kingussie stalwart Donnie Grant who also presented both James Hutchison and Fraser Munro with their 2019 Mowi Premiership medals after the pair missed the final league game of the season at Kyles Athletic.
Inaugural John Millar Memorial Trophy Matches The inaugural John Millar Memorial Trophy matches took place at Silversands on Sunday 5 January 2020. The event remembers Aberdour stalwart John Millar who passed away last May. The games took the form of Aberdour under-28s versus over-28s in both women and men’s categories. The women went first when Raine Cooper’s first half penalty gave the under-28s a first half lead but Lisa MacColl levelled after the restart so the contest finished 1-1. In the men's match, Aberdour over-28s ran out 4-2 winners. Ross Brown proved his worth with a hat-trick for the over-28s with Martin Cameron getting the other. Angus Thorburn countered from the penalty spot with David MacKenzie also netting. Rosie Mulligan and Andy Murray were the match referees. Aberdour passed on their thanks to Margaret Millar and family for donating the trophy in John's memory and her sons Alasdair and Andrew were on hand to make the presentations. |