Oban Camanachd’s Matthew Sloss is National under-17 Player of the Year
Oban Camanachd forward Matthew Sloss capped a memorable 2023 season when he was named Mowi National Under-17 Player of the Year at the Mowi National Awards at the Highland Cinema, Fort William, on Saturday November 18.
As well as being a key player in the Oban Camanachd under-17 side this season, Matthew Sloss was selected to represent Scotland under-17 for the RICruden shinty/hurling double-header in Ireland.
Having broken into the Oban Camanachd first team aged 15, he arguably became the youngest player to score in the Artemis Macaulay Cup final and played in the Scottish Sea Farms Glasgow Celtic Society Cup final with Oban Camanachd securing both trophies. He was also part of the side which were edged out by Kingussie in the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup final.
Oban Camanachd manager Gareth Evans said: “To be playing so well at premiership level all season for someone so young means Matthew thoroughly deserves this award.
“Matthew is well ahead of where we thought he would be at this stage. He will be a big player for Oban Camanachd in the future.
“He would have been unknown to a lot of clubs last season, but they certainly know about him now.”
This makes for a unique family double as Matthew’s older brother Daniel Sloss, the current Oban Camanachd captain, was Mowi National Under-17 Player of the Year in 2019.
The Mowi National Player of the Year was presented to Kingussie and Scotland full back Robert Mabon. Mabon was an integral part of the Kingussie side which won the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup, the cottages.com MacTavish Cup and the Mowi Premiership title this season.
Kingussie manager Iain Borthwick said: “Robert has been exceptional for us this season. We have used him at full back, buckshee back and at full centre. His stick work is unbelievable for someone so tall. He must be hard to play against and he has pace.”
Lochaber boss Ally Ferguson won Mowi National Coach of the Year. The former Scotland boss reinvigorated the side over a short period of time, securing a return to shinty’s top-flight by winning the Mowi National Division and winning the Ferguson Transport & Shipping Balliemore Cup.
Ally Ferguson said: “I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of my fellow coaches, our players and everyone associated with the club.
“It’s been a remarkable season, topped off by this prestigious award. It is great recognition, in particular for the players and my fellow coaches, who have turned the fortunes of our club around by hard graft and working as a team.
“We’ve all pulled together and that is reflected in our results and the success the club has enjoyed this season. We have lots more to do, of course, as it’s up another level for next season in the premiership.
“Many thanks to sponsors Mowi and the Camanachd Association. This award feels special and it will take pride of place on a wall at home.”
Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup final referee Des McNulty received the coveted Johnny “Ach” MacRae Quaich as referee of the year.
There was a Bute father and son double as James Craig was named Mowi South Area Leagues Coach of the Year after his side won Mowi South Division 1 with a 100 per cent record whilst Ryan James Craig was named Mowi South Area Leagues Player of the Year.
Kilmory/Dunadd are Mowi Community Club of the Year with several off-field initiatives recognised including fundraising for the elderly, attracting bigger crowds to their games and youth development. There was further celebration when Dunadd’s Eilidh Cameron was named the Mowi South 2 Player of the Year.
The Gary Innes award for Club of the Year, focused on youth development, saw Inveraray come out on top. The club’s five-year development plan promotes youth shinty to ensure a one-club culture in Inveraray and the surrounding area. There has been an increase in numbers, aided by sponsorship for new equipment.
Inveraray fielded under-14 and under-17 sides for the first time for six years and, at primary school level, they have performed well in the development league.
This all makes for a pathway to the club’s second team and, eventually, the senior side.
Inveraray also started a women’s team for youngsters in the area with more than 15 players attending weekly training with the hope of entering a side in Mowi South Division 2 next season.
The media award went to Norman Strachan for a second time with his camera work once more showcasing shinty as a spectacular sporting spectacle.
Full list of winners:
Coach awards
Mowi National Coach of the Year – Ally Ferguson, Lochaber
Mowi North Area Leagues Coach of the Year – Duncan MacIntyre, Lewis Camanachd
Mowi South Area Leagues Coach of the Year – James Craig, Bute
Player awards
Mowi National Player of the Year – Robert Mabon, Kingussie
Mowi North Area Leagues Player of the Year – Glen MacKintosh, Newtonmore
Mowi South Area Leagues Player of the Year – Ryan James Craig, Bute
Club awards
Mowi Community Club of the Year – Kilmory/Dunadd
Women’s Camanachd Association Awards
Club awards
Mowi National Division Club of the Year – Badenoch
Mowi Division 2 Club of the Year – Kinlochshiel
Mowi Club Development Award – Strathspey Camanachd
Coach awards
Mowi National Division Coach of the Year – Scott Campbell and Iain Robinson, Badenoch
Mowi Division 2 Coach of the Year – Andrew MacKenzie, Kinlochshiel
Player awards
Mowi National Division Player of the Year – Caitlin Maclean, Skye Camanachd
Mowi North Division 2 Player of the Year – Lorna MacRae, Kinlochshiel
Mowi South Division 2 Player of the Year – Eilidh Cameron, Dunadd
Service awards
Mowi Service to Women’s Shinty Award – Scott Campbell, Badenoch
Mowi Service to Women’s Shinty Award – Jim Barr, Glenurquhart
Youth awards
Mowi Youth Coach of the Year – Sean McQuarrie, Newtonmore
Mowi Under 14 Player of the Year – Joe Coyle, Newtonmore
Mowi Under 17 Player of the Year – Matthew Sloss, Oban Camanachd
Donella Crawford Award for Youth and Schools – Graeme Mitchell
Gary Innes Award for Club of the Year (Youth Development) – Inveraray
Gary Innes Award for School of the Year (Youth Development) – Tomnacross
Referee awards
Johnny “Ach” MacRae Quaich for Referee of the Year – Des McNulty
Emerging Referee of the Year – Jamie MacPherson
Volunteer awards
William Paterson Salver for Volunteer of the Year – Douglas Luke, Glasgow Mid Argyll
Mowi Award for Social Responsibility – Strathglass
Mowi Award for Innovation – Beauly
Fair-play awards
Fair Play Award – Ardnamurchan, Uddingston and Bute
Media Award
Media Award – Norman Strachan
Camanachd Association Cup Final
Kyles Athletic 0 Kilmallie 9
Kilmallie primaries are Camanachd Association Cup winners after beating Kyles Athletic primaries 9-0 in the final at Yoker, Glasgow, on Saturday November 18.
Kilmallie have been in blistering form in this tournament, defeating Glengarry 11-0 in the opening round before beating Caberfeidh 5-2 in round 2.
A quarter-final tie against Kinlochshiel was safely negotiated 12-4, whilst a close semi final against Kingussie finished 2-2 with Kilmallie winning the resultant sudden death penalty shoot-out.
Kyles Athletic have also been no slouches, showing their worth by beating Bute 9-0 before Aberdour were despatched 8-1 in the quarter finals and then Oban Celtic were beaten 10-2 in the semi-finals.
Chase Watson has scored some important goals for Kilmallie this season and was on target again six minutes into this 1pm throw-up.
Charley Kennedy added a second on 12 minutes with a second from Chase Watson making it 3-0 on 16 minutes. Charley Kennedy and Chase Watson continued to exchange goals. Kennedy got a second on 29 minutes and Watson made it four goals with efforts on 40 and 45 minutes. Charley Kennedy got her hat-trick on 50 minutes meaning Kilmallie led 7-0.
Michael Stewart on 70 minutes and Taylor Cameron five minutes later rounded off the 9-0 victory.
Kyles battled right up to referee Graham Fisher’s final whistle. They have had a wonderful season, winning the South Sixes Shinty World Cup, the Dalmally Sixes and the Mod Cup.
It was Kilmallie’s day though and they have proved themselves to be the best in the country. Captain Harry Stewart, who put his golf clubs to the side for the afternoon to be a huge influence at full centre, received the Camanachd Association Cup from past president Archie Robertson.
Former Kilmallie captain and Scotland international John Stewart is one of the Kilmallie coaches and, straight after the final, he said: “It was a great day for the youngsters. We have a good age of players this year – all primary six and primary seven. Kyles had a much younger team and I have no doubt their time will come.
“Our players come from three schools: Caol, Banavie and the Gaelic school and, as a team, today is the best I’ve seen them play.
“They have been getting better every game. They have beaten some top teams to get to the final and it’s been a brilliant experience for them all.
“Fergus Stewart rolled his ankle at training on Thursday night after standing on the ball. He had an x-ray on Friday morning which showed a chipped bone so, unfortunately, he missed the final but he has been excellent in defence throughout the competition. He still picked up a winners’ medal, which was great. I think his absence gave his teammates an extra incentive to try and win for him.
“Also, we have four girls in the squad who all competed unbelievably well. Charley Kennedy grabbed a hat-trick, Maisie Ewing started at wing centre while Taylor Cameron and Ashleigh Irvine came off the bench to play their part in the win.”
Kyles Athletic squad from: Olly McVicar, captain; Reilly Docherty; Murray Sim; Cairn Crowe; Struan Moss; Ryan Simpson; Tykhon Andreieva; Theo Lowrie; Sorley Kerr; Archie Whyte; Callum Perlich and Corrie Moss. Coaches: Thomas Whyte and James Perlich
Kilmallie squad from: Brodie Ross; Charley Kennedy; Chase Watson; Cian Mclean; Fergus Stewart; Harry Stewart; Jordy Gordon; Josh Luxton; Leo Lopez; Maisie Ewing; Michael Stuart; Ollie Lamont and Taylor Cameron. Coaches: John Stewart; Donald Lamont; Ryan Stewart and Alan Ewing.
Double Iomain Cholmcille win for Alba
Both Alba teams returned home victorious following Iomain Cholmcille XIV, the shinty/hurling/camogie tournament for Gaelic and Irish speakers, which took place in Belfast.
In the women’s competition, Alba, managed by Kate Bradley, Ardnamurchan, and Christina MacDonald, Skye, played two games.
They fell behind in the first game against Mná na hÉireann, an all-Ireland select, but recovered to win courtesy of two-goal Claire Delaney, Lochaber, and a goal from Karen MacKinnon, Oban Lorn.
In the second game, Skye’s Holly Maclean grabbed a hat trick, with another goal from Claire Delaney and a strike from Mairi Duncan, Lochaber, helping the Scots to a win (8-0) 24-13 (3-4) on aggregate.
Còrn Sgàthaich was presented by Marina Murray of Comunn na Gàidhlig to Alba captain, Caitlin Maclean, Skye.
This capped a great season for Caitlin who was winning Skye skipper in the Mowi Valerie Fraser Camanachd Cup final, winning West Select captain against the East Select and victorious Scotland national team captain in the double-header against Irish opposition in Cork before being crowned WCA Mowi National Player of the Year.
Ishbel Barr, Glenurquhart, a primary teaching student at Scotland’s Gaelic College, was the Sabhal Mòr Ostaig player of the match/sàr-chluicheadair.
The men opened against Fir Uladh and had goalie Eòghan Stewart, Strathglass, to thank for a clean-sheet, meaning a double from Finlay MacLennan, Beauly, contributed to a (2-2) 8-4 (0-4) triumph.
Finlay MacLennan was also on target in the second game as his hat-trick helped Alba beat Dublin’s Na Gaeil Óga (3-2) 11-7 (1-4) in what was a close encounter.
Although they had lost a tight game with Fir Uladh, 2022 champions Micheál Breathnach of Connemara were still strong and knew a big win against Alba would allow them to retain the title.
In a game that went every which way but loose, na Breathnaich led (3-2) 11-7 (2-1) at the interval but with captain Ewen Campbell, Inverness and Uist, to the fore, Alba hauled themselves back in the second half with four points from open play and a goal from Ross Gordon, Skye. The Albannaich had no room for error and Cailean MacInnes, Glasgow Mid Argyll, hit a fine strike to ensure Alba once again received Còrn Cholmcille, presented by Maolcholaim Scott of Foras na Gaeilge.
The Sabhal Mòr Ostaig player of the tournament award went to Alba full back Ross MacKinnon, Skye.
Iomain Cholmcille receives funding from the Colmcille fund, a partnership between Scotland’s Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Ireland’s Foras na Gaeilge, and plans are already in motion for Iomain Cholmcille XV in Scotland in 2024.
Plockton lift Donella Crawford title
Plockton High School won the Donella Crawford tournament at Ardnamurchan on Wednesday November 15.
Sixteen teams from across the country took part in this popular annual event and they put on a great display.
Shinty camp
The Argyll and Bute All-Girls’ Shinty Camp will take place at Dunoon Grammar School on Saturday November 25 between noon and 3pm. This is the rearranged date from the cancelled Strachur day.
Camanachd Association AGM
A good turnout is expected at the Camanachd Association annual general meeting at the Highland Cinema, Fort William, on Friday November 24, at 7.30pm.
Oban Camanachd AGM
Oban Camanachd will hold their annual general meeting at the Rockfield Centre on Friday December 1 at 7.30pm. Everyone welcome.
Oban Camanachd dinner dance and awards night
Oban Camanachd will hold their annual dinner dance and awards night at the Oban Bay Hotel on Saturday November 25.
There is plenty to celebrate as the club marks winning the Artemis Macaulay Cup and the Scottish Sea Farms Glasgow Celtic Society Challenge Cup this season.
There will be a two-course meal and music from George Noble. Tickets, £35, are available from committee members, coaches and players.