Oban Camanachd player awards night
Oban Camanachd held its 2023 player of the year awards night at the Oban Bay Hotel on Saturday November 25.
More than 50 people enjoyed a two-course meal, with many more attending later as George Noble provided the music and the club acknowledged those who have made a significant contribution throughout what was Oban Camanachd’s 134th year.
And there was plenty to celebrate as the club displayed the Artemis Macaulay Cup and the Scottish Sea Farms Glasgow Celtic Society Challenge Cup.
Lochside Rovers mustered a strong end to the season to finish second in Mowi South Division 1, behind runaway leaders Bute, whilst the signs are good at youth level with Oban Camanachd under 17s winning the MacQuisten Cup and the club’s under 14s clinching the South of Scotland League.
There was a near miss or two along the way as well, particularly in the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup final against holders Kingussie at the Bught Park, Inverness, where, roared on by a large support, Oban Camanachd dominated parts of the game before going down 1-0 to a late Ruaridh Anderson goal.
There were individual accolades as Scott McKillop was named man of the match in the Scottish Sea Farms Glasgow Celtic Society Challenge Cup final in June, Blair McFarlane was selected as man of the match in August’s Artemis Macaulay Cup final and Daniel Sloss collected the prestigious Albert Smith Memorial Medal in September’s Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup final.
Then, at the 2023 Mowi Awards, Matthew Sloss was presented with the Mowi national player of the year trophy.
Award winners on the night were:
2023 Nonny MacInnes Oban Camanachd First Team Player of the Year – Malcolm Clark and Scott McKillop.
This award, named in memory of legendary Oban Camanachd player Nonny MacInnes, was a joint award, shared by Malcolm Clark and Scott McKillop. They were chosen by Oban Camanachd manager Gareth Evans and his assistant Iain MacMillan.
Gareth Evans said: “Whereas in previous seasons the award might have been a choice between one or two players, this year there were five or six players in the mix. That’s reflective on how well the team has done this season and the fact they all trained every week was key. I can’t emphasise that enough. You only get out of it what you put in.
“Daniel MacCuish was a real contender as was Andy MacDonald who has been an unsung hero this year and broke his thumb at a bad time for us.
“That said, Malcolm Clark and Scott McKillop thoroughly deserve to be recognised in this way.
“Malcolm seems to have been around for a long time. He picked me up for once saying he’s a ‘veteran’ when he is only 29 but he has really advanced this season. He has been amongst the goals and is our top scorer in the league. He can be pleased with himself.”
Scott McKillop was Oban Camanachd’s players’ player of the season in 2022. Gareth added: “Scott’s been “Mr Consistency” in our defence for some time. He seems to get better with age and has been outstanding throughout my time. He’s calm and collected under pressure and puts his body on the line. He’s also popular amongst the players.”
2023 Oban Camanachd First Team Players’ Player of the Year – Daniel MacCuish
Daniel MacCuish’s return was a tonic for Oban Camanachd last season and his performances won him a place in the Scotland squad.
His late clincher in the Scottish Sea Farms Glasgow Celtic Society Challenge Cup final will live long in the memory and Gareth Evans said: “Daniel started the season up front and scored goals. However, he has all the attributes required of a modern day full centre. He’s a powerful lad and can get up and down the park. He’s skilful, hard in the tackle and his distribution is excellent. He’s also fit which isn’t surprising as he trains well.”
2023 Jamie Kerr Lochside Rovers Player of the Year – Alexander MacDonald
Alexander MacDonald was a stand-out performer for Lochside Rovers and he received the Jamie Kerr Lochside Rovers Player of the Year award. Alexander broke into the Oban Camanachd side towards the end of the 2022 season, also making appearances last season.
Gareth Evans said: “Alex is probably unlucky that defence is the strongest part of our team so the most difficult area to break in to. That said, he has still made appearances and he never lets us down. Alex reads the game very well and will be part of the club’s future.”
This award is in memory of former player Jamie Kerr.
2023 Lochside Rovers Players’ Player of the Year – Calum MacMillan
After winning the Jamie Kerr Lochside Rovers Player of the Year award last season, Calum MacMillan took Lochside Rovers’ Players’ Player of the Year this time around.
Calum is another of the club’s most promising youngsters and Gareth Evans said: “He’s technically very good and clears his lines well. He has premiership ability.”
2023 Oban Camanachd Under 17 Player of the Year – Matthew Sloss
Given he was Mowi National Under 17 player of the year, it was little surprise Matthew Sloss was also Oban Camanachd’s Under 17 player of the year.
Gareth Evans said: “Matthew is shinty’s stand out player in his age group. He’s not the finished article yet but he could be Oban Camanachd’s main player for many years to come. He came into the team at a very young age and has stayed there since.
“Next year will be harder as he’s now known to every other club but I’m sure Matthew will handle that.”
2023 Oban Camanachd Under 17 Players’ Player of the Year – Matthew Sloss
Along with the Lochside Rovers players’ player of the year prize, Matthew Sloss won both under 14 accolades last season and replicated the youth prizes with a double at under 17 level this season.
Matthew played in both the MacQuisten and Celtic Society finals on the same day last season, winning both.
2023 Oban Camanachd Under 14 Player of the Year – Scott Campbell
Scott Campbell is another who typifies the Oban side’s abundance of talent at youth level.
Gareth Evans said: “Scott is good player. He’s athletic and he will be a key player for Lochside next season.
“I’m sure he’ll get some game time for Oban Camanachd over the course of next season but there is no point in him coming along just to be a substitute every week. It is much better for his development that he gets game time with Lochside.
“All these young guys are progressing well and demonstrate what a fantastic job David MacMillan and Duncan MacMillan have done with Lochside Rovers this season.”
2023 Oban Camanachd Under 14 Players’ Player of the Year – Scott Campbell
As well as playing at under 14 and under 17 level, playing for Lochside Rovers and debuting for Oban Camanachd, Scott Campbell matched his cousin Matthew Sloss’s achievement last year by winning both under 14 awards when his teammates voted him under 14 players’ player of the year.
The Oban Camanachd committee thanked all the players, coaches, partners and supporters and, most of all, their sponsors for their continued support.
To round off a great evening, Oban Camanachd’s monthly Superball took place with Hazel Evans winning the £500 jackpot.
Oban Camanachd’s annual general meeting takes place at the Rockfield Centre on Friday December 1 at 7.30pm. Everyone welcome.
MacKenzie bows out at Camanachd Association AGM
In the third and final year of his presidential term, Steven MacKenzie’s annual report to the Camanachd Association annual’s general meeting in Fort William on Friday November 23 hailed a successful season.
He congratulated all the competition winners, including Oban Camanachd, saying: “Oban Camanachd won their first Macaulay Cup in 27 years against Kingussie. They had already secured the Glasgow Celtic Society Challenge Cup having beaten Glasgow Mid Argyll in June.”
The was also praise for Lochaber as Steven MacKenzie added: “The Ferguson Transport & Shipping Balliemore Cup went to Lochaber on a memorable day for the Spean Bridge side. The biggest Balliemore crowd in many years enjoyed glorious sunshine and a fantastic atmosphere at Spean Bridge as Lochaber ran out comfortable winners against local rivals Kilmallie. Lochaber also won the Mowi National Division so return to shinty’s top-flight next season.”
The revival of the Mowi shinty/hurling international was also welcomed, with chief executive officer Derek Keir praised for his perseverance in restoring relations with the Gaelic Athletic Association.
“The GAA were gracious and generous hosts for this year’s match played in Newry, County Down,” said Steven MacKenzie. “It was a thrilling contest, with a strong Irish side pulling away in the last 10 minutes as Alba chased goals.”
Off-field, away from the business-as-usual activity of the association, focus has been in three main areas:
Safety – particularly the use of helmets with faceguards.
Drug testing – the association is now a member of the UKAD programme, with the current focus on education. The Scotland squads completed the associated training and could be subject to in-competition testing at a time of UKAD’s choosing.
Camanachd Cup replacement and Bught Park development – with the help of sponsors Tulloch, the Camanachd Cup has been replaced by a replica and retired to Inverness Castle as any irreversible damage to the famous trophy has long been a concern for the board.
The association is also preparing a Heritage Lottery application for Shinty’s Story which will be a major focus in 2024 and 2025.
Camanachd Association staff, past and present, were praised with operations manager Astie Cameron referred to as being “the best-connected man in shinty with his wealth of contacts”, whilst Aarron MacLeod was praised as he continues to improve the association’s communications strategy.
Steven MacKenzie concluded: “It has been the privilege of my life to lead the Camanachd Association, but this cannot be done alone so I thank all the directors who supported me during my presidency.
“There is a sports psychology book written by James Kerr called “Legacy” and it examines the success of the All Blacks at rugby union. One of their central tenets is to “leave the jersey in a better place than you found it”. I have strived to live up to that adage.”
Steven MacKenzie was replaced as Camanachd Association president by Burton Morrison. Originally from Drumnadrochit, Burton captained Aberdeen University to Sutherland Cup success and also played for Glasgow Mid Argyll.
He said: “It is an honour and a privilege to be elected Camanachd Association president. I’m especially humbled when I look at the list of my predecessors and if I can contribute a fraction of their achievements, I will have done well.
“It is volunteers and the clubs they represent who will lead shinty through whatever changes lie ahead. I see the Camanachd Association’s role as providing a support structure for the clubs which brings maximum benefits for the efforts of their members.”
Four new directors – Alan Clark, Willie MacDonald, Kevin Thain and Graeme Macdiarmid – were appointed. Daniel Polumbo and Kirsty Deans came to the end of their tenure on the board. Former Highland Councillor Alister MacKinnon has been co-opted onto the board with a future finance role likely.
In his final report before standing down, finance director Daniel Polumbo delivered encouraging financial figures for 2022, including a record £618,000 income. The figures were much better than forecast 12 months earlier with sponsorship returning to pre-pandemic levels. This contributed towards a £22,000 annual surplus which boosts Camanachd Association reserves to a healthy £240,000.
Projected 2023 figures estimate a £7,000 surplus and although adult subscriptions were increased by £5 to £30, membership still made up less than 10 per cent of the Camanachd Association’s overall income, which is less than other sports.
The waiver opt out age limit for the compulsory wearing of helmets with faceguards was raised from only including players aged over 21 years to only being permissible for players aged over 25 years.
Camanachd Association chief executive officer Derek Keir informed the annual general meeting that this was the fourth year the association had attempted to introduce the unilateral wearing of helmets with faceguards and he urged member clubs and associations to show leadership.
However, two other motions put forward by the game’s governing body failed to gather the required 75 per cent support. These were that helmets and faceguards be made mandatory for all players from the 2024 season or alternatively, that helmets are made mandatory from 2024 with liability waivers permissible for faceguards only.
Kingussie, Dunoon Camanachd and Oban Camanachd all put forward proposals to increase the number of substitutes that can take the field, but all failed to gather the required support.
Teams can currently name five substitutes but can only use three. The Kingussie proposal was that all five substitutes named be permitted to play. Oban Camanachd put forward that the rule remained unchanged for the Mowi Premiership, the Mowi National Division and representative matches but, for area league games, clubs be permitted to name a maximum of five substitutes, with any four permitted to play during a match.
Dunoon Camanachd suggested a deviation from the normal rule in matches in North Division 2 and South Division 2 where clubs would be allowed to name a maximum of six substitutes, of whom no more than three are permitted to be aged 18 or over and all substitutes named are permitted to play.
However, all three proposals were rejected by members who also failed to support moves to amend the outer pitch dimensions.