Mowi Premiership
Kinlochshiel 4 Lovat 0
Kinlochshiel’s clash with Lovat was reversed to Balgate on Friday afternoon – October 13 – when it became clear neither Kinlochshiel’s Rèaraig nor Kirkton pitches could host a game.
The gamble paid off as the west coast side took the points following a 4-0 win.
Lovat defended well through the first half, with Kinlochshiel keeper Josh Grant virtually a bystander, and it looked like they might reach the break on level terms before a ball up the park on the stroke of half-time left home keeper Stuart MacDonald in no-man’s land and Kinlochshiel’s Keith MacRae nipped in to slip the ball home.
Kinlochshiel brought David Falconer off the bench to join their attack five minutes into the second half and the switch paid immediate dividends.
First, on 55 minutes, Falconer capitalised on a defensive slip in the home defence to
turn the ball into the bottom corner of the net to make it 2-0. Then, a minute later, he unleashed a spectacular 30-yard rocket-shot into the net.
Finlay MacRae, flanked by Donald Nixon and Duncan “DA” MacRae, controlled the
centre line and Kinlochshiel skipper Jordan Fraser added a fourth ten minutes from time, running onto the ball and scoring from the edge of the ‘D’ after Keith MacRae lifted a free-hit over two Lovat defenders.
Kinlochshiel manager Willie MacRae was pleased with his team’s performance and said: “Lovat were short, but we moved the ball well. It’s not often any team
scores four times at Balgate regardless of the circumstances.
“Finlay MacRae at centre, Mark MacDonald and Conor Cormack were all excellent,
whilst David Falconer made a big difference to the forward line when he came on.
“Young Kieran Martin at wing back is an up-and-coming player. He did everything I asked of him and he never missed a ball all afternoon.
“We still have John MacRae and Ollie MacRae to come back, whilst Archie MacRae
and Arron Jack were also missing, so there will be good competition for places next
season and some players will be looking over their shoulders.”
Mowi North Division 1
Fort William 3 Glenurquhart 3
The Fort William second team completed their season with an exciting draw with
the Glenurquhart second team at An Aird.
Glenurquhart started well with home keeper Stuart Disher seeing some early action.
And the visitors who took the lead on 23 minutes when Neale Reid finished well.
However, Fort William turned the game on its head with a late first half double. First, under-17 captain Archie MacKinnon crashed the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle on 43 minutes and, on the stroke of half-time, skipper Struan Stephen
put the hosts ahead with just enough time left to re-start the game.
Fort William went 3-1 ahead 10 minutes into the second half when Padraig
McNeil found the net but, a couple of minutes later, Neale Reid scored his
second goal of the game to make it 3-2.
Fort William were just seconds away from taking both points when Neale Reid popped up in the final minute to complete his hat-trick to take a share of the points.
Skye Camanachd 5 Kinlochshiel 1
Skye Camanachd seconds will finish runners-up in the division after beating Kinlochshiel seconds in their derby at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree.
The constant rain through the week left the match in doubt but a breezy, dry
Saturday meant the pitch was playable, although both goal-mouths were on
the soft side.
Referee Jamie MacPherson led the players in a minute’s silence ahead of throw-up
following the sad passing of Camanachd Association Grade 1 referee Martin MacLean.
Kinlochshiel started with the wind in their favour but it was Skye who took the lead on
16 minutes when full forward Dan MacDonald blasted the ball high over keeper Calum MacMillan’s left shoulder from 15 yards on the left.
Kinlochshiel came close to a leveller on 39 minutes when Duncan MacRae’s hit-in from the left came to Paul MacRae who played in Duncan MacMillan. His strike was well-saved with his right foot by his right post by Skye keeper Michael Nicolson and Martin MacRae was quickly onto the rebound which he sent low by the far post to the goalie’s left.
Calum MacMillan did well to save Dan MacDonald’s shot by his left post before juggling the ball away on 51 minutes but Dan MacDonald wasn’t to be denied as he got his second to double Skye’s lead on 55 minutes with a clean strike from the left.
There was a touch of fortune to Skye’s third goal on the hour-mark as the impressive Seonaidh-Alex launched a free-hit from the left which dropped just outside the front
of the ‘D’.
Kinlochshiel full back Campbell Lamont stretched to reach the ball but inadvertently deflected it down past his own keeper.
There was a late flurry of goals as Lewis MacVicar countered for Kinlochshiel on 81 minutes with a good shot from right of centre which went just inside keeper Michael Nicolson’s left post.
Skye lost full centre Seonaidh-Alex MacLeod from the re-start when he suffered an accidental blow to the hip when challenging for the ball with opposing full centre Paul
MacRae.
Skye manager Willie MacDonald moved David MacInnes to centre with Ryan Nicolson coming off the bench to go to full back with his son Nui Nicolson to his side at wing back and his brother Michael Nicolson behind him in goal.
With five minutes remaining, Dan MacDonald completed his hat-trick with a precise finish as he expertly lifted the ball home when the Kinlochshiel defence failed to
deal with a David MacInnes free-hit from the middle of the park.
Archie Millar rounded off the scoring a minute from time, taking the ball out of the air
from Calum MacMillan’s goal-hit and surging forward before hammering the ball inside the keeper’s left post to make it 5-1.
Mowi North Division 2
Lochaber P Strathglass P
The fixture between the Lochaber colts and the Strathglass colts at Spean Bridge
was called off on Friday evening when the pitch was deemed unplayable.
The match will be rescheduled.
Women’s Camanachd Association
Mowi North Division 2
Glengarry P Skye Camanachd P
The fixture between Glengarry and Skye Camanachd B at Craigard on Saturday
October 14 was postponed due to an unplayable pitch.
Inverness 1 Kinlochshiel 10
Champions Kinlochshiel defeated Inverness B at the Bught Park on Sunday October 15.
WCA announce Scotland squad
The Women’s Camanachd Association has announced the Scotland squad for the
shinty/camogie international against Irish opposition in early November.
With James Gallacher, Laura Mackay and Andrew Morris in charge of the Scots, Mowi National Division winners Badenoch, Valerie Fraser Camanachd Cup winners
Skye Camanachd and Lochaber have the largest representation with four players
each.
There is also a place for Uddingston’s Alison MacVicar, originally from Oban, and
former Fort William player Zoe Smith, who now plays for Glenurquhart.
Skye’s Sarah Yoxon is included having made her Scotland debut in the first official
international in Ratoath in 2004.
The Scots travel to Cork on Friday November 3 before playing Irish opponents that
evening and the following afternoon.
Scotland from: Mairi Stewart, Badenoch; Megan Ralph, Badenoch; Rhona McIntyre,
Badenoch; Zoe Reid, Badenoch; Christy Doherty, Glasgow Mid Argyll; Laura
McCafferty, Glasgow Mid Argyll; Rachael McCafferty, Glasgow Mid Argyll; Hazel
Hunter, Glenurquhart; Ishbel Barr, Glenurquhart; Zoe Smith, Glenurquhart; Lorna
MacRae, Kinlochshiel; Amy Disher, Lochaber; Mairi Duncan, Lochaber; Missy
Cameron, Lochaber; Natalie MacDonald, Lochaber; Caitlin Maclean, Skye
Camanachd; Rhianna Kirk, Skye Camanachd; Sarah-Jane Ferguson, Skye
Camanachd; Sarah Yoxon, Skye Camanachd; and Alison MacVicar, Uddingston.
Rule changes challenge Scots
Scotland manager Garry Reid and his squad are going through their final preparations ahead of the shinty/hurling international against Ireland at Páirc Esler, Newry, on Saturday October 21.
With the Mowi Quaich at stake, there are two rule changes that the Scots will have to contend with, both of which appear to favour the Irish.
Garry Reid explained: “The rule changes will make it more difficult for us.
“The two points for a dead ball over the bar is now only one point. That is something we have benefitted from through the past, especially with Kevin Bartlett in our side.
“Also, their goalie can now catch the ball. A regular tactic of ours would be to float the ball into the goal mouth to see how they deal with it, and we got a couple of goals from that last time around, but we can’t do that any more as the keeper will just catch it and clear.
“I always believe the first half-hour is crucial in these games as Ireland settle into the
contest. We are back to the venue when Ireland last won at home but there is no doubt our guys will be up for it.”
Roddy MacDonald, Kyles Athletic, will captain the Scotland squad.
Throw-in is at 2.45pm. Scotland supporters unable to make the trip can watch the international live on the official TG4 YouTube channel.
2023 Mowi Shinty Awards
Nominations for the 2023 Mowi Shinty Awards are open.
The awards recognise the extraordinary efforts and incredible endeavour required to
deliver shinty throughout the 2023 shinty season.
This year’s awards are again based on the important values on which the sport and
their communities are built on and to which sponsors Mowi and the Camanachd
Association operate.
The closing date for this year’s nominations is 5pm on Monday October 30 with the awards ceremony taking place in the Highland Cinema, Cameron Square, Fort William, at 4pm on Saturday November 18.
Shinty supporters can make their nominations by visiting the Camanachd
Association website www.shinty.com.
Featured image: Fort William’s Jack Kearney tackles Tom Edwards. Photograph: Iain Ferguson, alba.photos. NO_F42_Shinty_Fort v Glenurquhart 01