The Shinty Round Up – Saturday 14 November 2015 | |
15 November 2015 Marine Harvest Premiership champions Newtonmore checked out for the season with a win following the shinty action on Saturday 14 November 2015.
Marine Harvest Premiership Oban Camanachd 1 Newtonmore 2 The wet weather and the after-effects of Hurricane Abigail meant a Plan A, Plan B and Plan C were all examined ahead of the fixture between Oban Camanachd and Newtonmore. The match was originally scheduled for Mossfield but the heavy rain-fall put that in doubt earlier in the week. Oban Camanachd agreed to travel to the Eilan if necessary to get the game played. However Newtonmore had recently undertaken maintenance work on their pitch so that wasn’t an option. The Bught Park in Inverness was then put on stand-by having recently hosted Scotland’s Shinty / Hurling international win over Ireland. Mossfield groundsman Iain Hay, who is also of course also Oban Camanachd first team manager, ruled the pitch unplayable on Saturday morning as there were pools of water on the surface so the teams headed for the Highland Capital where the Bught Park was deemed playable. Newtonmore manager Paul John MacKintosh was without Evan Menzies who was sidelined with a broken hand. Captain Cameron Binnie was working and fellow-midfielder Jamie Robinson missed out as he awaits a hernia operation. Craig Ritchie came in to join Paul MacArthur and Scott Chisholm in the midfield. Second team top scorer Calum Stewart was given a start at wing forward. Youngsters Iain Robinson and Iain Richardson took a place on the bench. Oban Camanachd defender Gary McKerracher was missing as was long-term injury absentee Andrew McCuish. Promising youngster Ross MacMillan started at buckshee back where he was given the task of marking ‘More top scorer Glen MacKintosh. Garry Lord was at full back with Scott MacMillan taking a place in the forward line. Oban Camanachd were expected to be missing Daniel Cameron because of a family bereavement but he insisted on playing and he lined up at full centre. There was a related minutes’ silence ahead of the start of the game. Scotland Head Coach Ronald Ross was interested in proceedings, with five of his players for next weekend’s trip to Croke Park – Oban Camanachd’s Daniel Cameron and Rory Kennedy, Steven MacDonald, Paul MacArthur and Glen MacKintosh from Newtonmore – all in taking part The Newtonmore centre line started well and took an early grip on the game with young Craig Ritchie looking the part at full centre. Oban Camanachd keeper Gavin Stobbart made a great save above his head with his caman on 6 minutes to keep out a Glen MacKintosh rocket shot from distance. A couple of minutes late, a miss-hit Glen MacKintosh effort from the edge of the D almost spun into the net but Stobbart just managed to prevent the ball going over the line. Oban Camanachd spurned a good chance on 11 minutes when Scott MacMillan didn’t connect with the ball as he would have liked on the greasy surface. Oban Camanachd boss Iain Hay made a switch on 29 minutes with wing centre Iain MacMillan and forward Scott MacMillan switching roles. ‘More keeper Michael Richie reacted quickly to save with his hand from a deflected ball following an Oban Camanachd corner on 34 minutes. Newtonmore were forced to make a first half change with Chris Sellar coming on at full centre for Craig Ritchie who was feeling unwell. The Oban side started to come more into the game and they went ahead on 39 minutes. Daniel Cameron had pushed forward from midfield and he steadied himself before firing a great shot high into the net to make it 1-0. Oban Camanachd took their 1-0 lead into the break. Newtonmore almost levelled 3 minutes into the second half. Glen MacKintosh dispossessed Iain MacMillan as he tried to take the ball out of defence. MacKintosh hit the ball well but Gavin Stobbart was equal to his effort, superbly turning the ball away. Newtonmore boss Paul John MacKintosh made a number of changes on 52 minutes as he looked to get his side back on level terms. Calum Stewart came off with Iain Richardson going to full back, Steven MacDonald pushing forward to buckshee back, Rory Kennedy taking over at full centre and Chris Sellar replacing Stewart in attack. The changes seemed to work well with Sellar looking particularly effective in the forward line. Newtonmore levelled on 56 minutes with Norman Campbell doing the damage. A ball forward from midfield seemed to be going past Campbell but he got a touch before sending an unstoppable shot past Gavin Stobbart to make it 1-1. Iain Robinson came on for Fraser MacKintosh and the ‘More forward line started to move the ball about well, troubling the Oban defence. And it was Norman Campbell who got his and Newtonmore’s second on the hour mark. Campbell ran forward onto a loose ball and from just outside the D, he blasted a shot onto the net to make it 2-1. Calum Stewart came back at wing centre for Scott Chisholm on 79 minutes. There was a lot of end-to-end action and plenty of chances during the game with young Oban Camanachd forward Connor Howe keeping ‘More’s Rory Kennedy on his toes. Newtonmore had most of the goal scoring opportunities and Paul MacArthur pushed forward from midfield late in the game and he was unlucky not to score. Newtonmore had a late penalty claim and Oban Camanachd, for whom Daniel Cameron was excellent, passed up a chance to equalise at the death. However the Eilan side took the points – their seventeenth victory in eighteen league matches, with their only reverse coming away to bottom side Inveraray. Newtonmore finish their season ten points ahead of second place Kyles Athletic although the Tighnabruaich side have the chance to narrow the gap when they host Oban Camanachd this coming Saturday in the top division’s final fixture of the season. This was a first top division for referee Calum Girvan who handled the match well, assisted by goal judges Archie Ritchie and Billy MacLeod.
Marine Harvest National Division The Marine Harvest Premiership fixtures are complete.
Marine Harvest North Division 1 The Marine Harvest North Division 1 fixtures are complete.
Marine Harvest South Division 1 The Marine Harvest South Division 1 fixtures are complete.
Marine Harvest North Division 2 The Marine Harvest North Division 2 fixtures are complete.
Marine Harvest South Division 2 The final Marine Harvest South Division 2 fixture of the season takes place this coming Saturday when the Ballachulish and Aberdour second teams meet at Jubilee Park.
(All throw ups were at 1.30pm unless stated differently) (These reports will be updated as more information becomes available) |