Skye Camanachd 2 Kyles Athletic 5 - UPDATED! | |
19 July 2012 Skye Camanachd lost 5-2 to Kyles Athletic in their Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup quarter-final tie at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 14 July 2012. A large crowd congregated for this 1pm throw up on a bright and sunny Skye day. Skye Camanachd were one of two Marine Harvest North Division 1 side still in this year’s Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup competition. They were not in action last weekend and were missing Iain Morrison who had plates inserted into a fractured jaw following an injury sustained in the win over Strathglass a fortnight ago. Morrison joins fellow long-term absentees Gilleasbuig MacDonald and Jamie MacDonald on the Islanders’ injury list. David Grant and Stewart Grant dropped out of the 17 man squad which travelled to Cannich however brothers Steven Morrison and Danny Morrison returned after missing the Strathglass match as did keeper Aonghas MacDonald who was back from a break in Australia. Kyles have had to do without Grant Irvine, Sandy MacVicar and Peter Currie for most of this season but were otherwise at full strength and a squad of 16 travelled north. They headed up the road on Friday afternoon and had a hit-about at the sports field in Kyleakin before staying in Broadford on the Friday night. They then travelled the final 30 minutes to Portree on Saturday morning for this 1pm throw up. Kyles took the initiative from the throw up against a nervous looking Skye side and they took the lead on 8 minutes. John Whyte played a cross in from the right and 2011 National Player of the Year Roddy MacDonald whipped the ball to the net. However the Islanders settled and they were level after 16 minutes. Darryl Macintosh played a goad ball into the goal area which was pushed away by Zac Coley. Neil MacVicar picked up the loose ball and found Jordan Murchison. His shot was saved with his feet by Kenny MacDonald and it looked as if Donald Irvine would play the ball out for a corner. However Ally MacDonald nipped in to cut the ball back across goal and Iain Nicolson turned it into the net to make it 1-1. Skye almost went in front straight from the throw up. Allan MacKinnon won possession and played the ball forward to Neil MacVicar. He found Jordan Murchison in space and the Skye youngster fired a terrific shot from distance which was heading for the top corner before Kenny MacDonald brilliantly tipped the ball over the bar. The Kyles keeper is in his 50th year and he has a history of turning in superb performances against the Islanders since he first broke into their senior team in 1983 when he was a Camanachd Cup winner. The Skye support were hoping that this wasn’t to be another one of these days. Aonghas MacDonald made a brilliant stop to deny David Zavaroni but the goal judge flagged for offside. The Skye keeper made another good stop from Roddy MacDonald and he touched the ball away before Gordon Whyte could get onto the rebound. Kyles earned a corner on the right following another save by the Skye keeper. Dunkie Kerr’s corner was only cleared as far as John Whyte around the penalty spot and the thumped the ball into the net to put the visitors back in front with 26 minutes played. Aonghas MacDonald made a spectacular stop above his head to deny Robbie MacLeod as Kyles continued to press. Kenny MacDonald made a good save with his feet from a 30 yard Neil MacVicar shot on 37 minutes and as the ball lifted into the air, the keeper calmly palmed it away for a corner. Jordan Murchison just failed to get on the end of the resultant corner from Darryl Macintosh on the right. However goal judge Brian Davis flagged and, after a consultation, referee Graham Cameron awarded Skye a penalty for what was later described as double-swinging. There was no complaint from the Kyles players and Jordan Murchison stepped forward to take the spot-hit. Murchison struck the ball low and hard to the keeper’s right and although the MacDonald got to the ball with his feet, he couldn’t keep in out and Skye were level once again with 38 minutes played. Kyles went back in front a minute before the break. They were awarded a free hit just inside the Skye half when referee Cameron penalised Darryl Macintosh for a challenge on Robbie MacLeod. Andrew King played the ball goalwards and Thomas Whyte ghosted in from the right and lofted the ball over the despairing dive of Skye keeper Aonghas MacDonald to make it 3-2 with the Skye defenders making strong claims for offside. The goal was a blow to the Islanders but they had come from behind twice already in the game; could they do it a third time. Skye started the second half in a positive fashion without really worrying visiting keeper Kenny MacDonald. Kyles edged their way back into the tie and both sides new that the next goal could prove crucial. Roddy MacDonald collected a Gordon Whyte pass and shot across the face of the goal on the hour mark. Kyles extended their lead on 63 minutes. They won possession in midfield through David Zavaroni and Dunkie Kerr lost his marker as he sprinted forward from the right wing centre position and ended up at left wing forward where he passed the ball home. John Whyte and Gordon Whyte were replaced by Euan Campbell and Fraser MacDonald on 66 minutes as Kyles refreshed their attack. A fantastic Robbie MacLeod run created havoc in the home defence but the Islanders scrambled the ball away for a corner. Robbie MacLeod played in the resultant corner and Fraser MacDonald slotted the ball home to make it 5-2 with 73 minutes played. Skye made a double substitution 10 minutes from time with Iain Murray and Will Cowie replacing John Moir and Iain Nicolson. Cowie was immediately involved and he linked up with Jordan Murchison a couple of minutes later and Murchison’s drive went just wide of goal. Kyles’ play-maker Roddy MacDonald took a knock to the leg on 84 minutes and the visitors took no chances with their prize asset, replacing him with Rupert Williamson. Both sides were greeted with warm applause by the large crowd when referee Graham Cameron blew his final whistle. The wide spaces and great surface of the Pairc nan Laoch pitch suited Kyles style of play and the Portree crowd enjoyed watching their entertaining form of shinty. Skye performed well in this tie after a nervy start and the only missing ingredient is the experience of playing sides of Kyles’ quality every week. Skye Camanachd from; Aonghas MacDonald, Steven Morrison, Shockie MacLennan (captain), John Moir, Allan MacKinnon, Darryl Macintosh, Chris Rose, Shaun Hedley, Jordan Murchison, Ally MacDonald, Iain Nicolson, Neil MacVicar, subs Iain Murray, Danny Morrison, Will Cowie, Iain Munro Kyles Athletic from; Kenny MacDonald, Donald Irvine, Calum Miller, Zac Coley, Andrew King, Robbie MacLeod, David Zavaroni, Dunkie Kerr, Thomas Whyte, John Whyte, Gordon Whyte, Roddy MacDonald, subs Fraser MacDonald, Euan Campbell, Cammy Keith, Rupert Williamson Match Referee – Graham Cameron The match balls were sponsored by Nor-Dan |