Kinlochshiel Edge Out Lochaber To Win Glenmore Trophy | |
13 January 2013 Kinlochshiel beat Lochaber by the odd goal in seven to win the Glenmore Trophy in an exciting encounter at Kirkton on Saturday 12 January 2013. The two newest North additions to the Orion Group Premiership met at Kirkton for the Glenmore Trophy on a mild January afternoon in what one of the earliest pre-season friendlies ahead of the 2013 shinty season. Both managers, Johnston Gill for Kinlochshiel and Michael Delaney for Lochaber, selected large squads which included several of their talented youngsters. ‘Shiel keeper Graham Kennedy was unavailable so Scott Kennedy deputised once again in goal whilst defender Calum MacLean was also missing. Lochaber were minus the presence of internationals Neil MacDonald in defence and Zandz Ferguson in attack. Lochaber made the better start and they took the lead after just 2 minutes. Some great play down the Lochaber left from Ben Delaney saw him release a perfectly timed pass to the unmarked Stuart Callison and he crashed the ball into the net to put the visitors 1-0 in front. Kinlochshiel levelled in their first attack of the game. Full centre Finlay MacRae, sporting a new helmet complete with visor, burst down the left wing and his cross was deflected into the path of his brother John MacRae whose downward strike nestled in the back of the Lochaber net. The goal lifted the home side and they went in front after16 minutes. Keith MacRae saw a snap-shot well saved with his foot by Lochaber keeper Calum MacDonald but the rebound came back to Keith MacRae who dispatched the ball into the back of the net to make it 2-1. Lochaber came close to restoring their lead on 22 minutes when Ben Delaney slipped the ball to Ryan Toal on the right. Toal beat his man but his shot was turned past the post by home keeper Scott Kennedy. The resultant corner came across the D and Ben Delaney shot goalwards but Scott Kennedy moved quickly across his line to save well with his feet at left post. ‘Shiel threatened when a mazy Keith MacRae run down the left saw the Scotland forward shoot goalwards and whilst his effort beat keeper MacDonald, Brennan MacDonald covered to clear the ball off the line. Keith MacRae was causing the Lochaber defence all sorts of problems and he dummied his marker a minute later before going wide of keeper MacDonald but the angle was too tight and his goal attempt went just past the post. Lochaber responded a couple of minutes later when Ben Delaney found Stuart Callison and his 30 yard strike was palmed away by Scott Kennedy and the ball was cleared by the home defence. Lochaber squared the game again on 32 minutes when a high ball into the heart of the ‘Shiel defence was knocked down by Ben Delaney. His lay-off fell into the path of Shaun Nicolson, and he slipped a pass to Stuart Callison who tucked the ball into the corner of the net for his second goal of the afternoon which made it 2-2. Lochaber came close to going back in front on 39 minutes when Ben Delaney laid the ball left to Ryan Toal and he sprinted down the left but saw his goalwards shot deflect off Paul MacRae’s caman and spin wide for a corner. The last chance of the first half fell to Kinlochshiel as Keith MacRae got on the end of a free-hit a minute from the interval but his strike was palmed away by Calum MacDonald. The second half was just 6 minutes old when Kinlochshiel’s Graham Morrison collected the ball left of goal but his rocket shot produced a great save from Calum MacDonald. Kinlochshiel regained the lead on 55 minutes when Fraser MacVicar deceived his marker and spun in on goal before confidently stroking the ball into the corner of the net to put his side 3-2 ahead. Both sides took the opportunity to introduce many of their young substitutes with Lochaber’s Barry MacDonald settling particularly well into the action. With 15 minutes remaining, referee Willie MacRae awarded the home side a penalty when Gordie MacDonald, who had started in defence but was pushed into attack following John Don MacKenzie’s introduction, darted into the D but he was clearly tripped. Keith MacRae stepped up to take the penalty and although he didn’t strike the ball as a cleanly as he would have liked to, his effort beat Calum MacDonald at his left post for his second strike of the afternoon which made it 4-2. Lochaber didn’t let their heads drop though and they reduced the deficit just 3 minutes later when good battling from Ryan Johnston, who looked lively following his introduction into the action, saw the ball break to Shaun Nicolson and he blasted the ball into the roof of the net to make it 4-3. The outcome remained on a knife-edge and Calum MacDonald made a good stop from a low Oliver MacRae strike. Lochaber pressed hard for an equaliser but the final blast of Willie MacRae’s whistle saw the home side take the spoils. Whilst there was some understandable rustiness during the game, this was a really enjoyable encounter which is sure to have been a useful exercise for both teams The Glenmore Trophy, which was previously won by Skye Camanachd in 1980 and 1981, was presented to Kinlochshiel captain Graham Morrison by Highland Councilor Biz Campbell. |