Cottages.com MacTavish Cup - First Round
Caberfeidh 2 Kinlochshiel 1
Caberfeidh booked their place in the cottages.com MacTavish Cup quarter-finals after beating Kinlochshiel at the Castle Leod.
The original tie was abandoned a fortnight earlier when referee Steven MacLachlan took unwell and required life-saving treatment from ‘Shiel pair Conor Cormack and Keith MacRae, including the use of a defibrillator, and he was in attendance to thank in person those who made the difference that day.
Craig Morrison gave Cabers a five-minute lead, losing his marker as he ran onto a ball forward from Liam Symonds before taking it around keeper Josh Grant and tapping home.
Keith MacRae equalised five minutes into the second half, winning possession following Conor Cormack’s high ball forward before finishing with aplomb.
With 10 minutes remaining, Liam Symonds did well to flick the ball across goal from the left of the D and Gavin McLaughlin, at the back post, scored what proved to be the winner.
‘Shiel pushed full back Finlay MacRae forward but couldn’t take the tie to extra time.
After the game, Highland and Islands Fire and Rescue Service Area Commander Michael Humphreys presented certificates of appreciation to both Conor Cormack and Keith MacRae to recognise their role assisting Steven MacLachlan.
Ross Cowie, founder of charity Lucky2BHere, who have distributed over 1,000 defibrillators nationwide
including the one at Castle Leod, was also present.
Mowi Premiership
Skye Camanachd 3 Lochaber 2
Skye Camanachd go second in the Mowi Premiership after beating Lochaber at a blustery Pairc nan Laoch, Portree.
Skye pair Ryan Harrison and John Gillies recovered from injury to start with Gillies lining up at buckshee forward. Work commitments ruled out both Kenny Cushnie and Ruaraidh Macleod whilst Ross MacKinnon was unwell. Martin Pringle started for the first time this season whilst Chris Rose, who had been enroute to Fort William with the Skye second team, was recalled mid-journey following Cushnie’s late call-off.
Lochaber’s Shaun Nicolson returned after missing the previous week’s loss at Newtonmore. Defender Callum “Roy” MacDonald was suspended whilst Martin Johnstone and Findlay MacDonald were both unavailable.
Skye opened with a strong wind in their favour, and they took the lead after just six minutes. Jamie Gillies beat marker Iain Fyfe and cut into the D from the right but was chopped down by Jack Dignan. Referee Willie MacDonald pointed to the spot and Ross Gordon stepped up to score, sending the spot-hit over keeper Ali MacDonald’s right shoulder.
Max Campbell sent a shot just the wrong side of the keeper’s right post after being played in by Duncan MacKinnon as Lochaber responded and William MacKinnon pushed the ball by the post at the other end just moments later.
Ali MacDonald then did well to stretch and turn away a magnificent flick and volley from the middle of the park by Skye’s Seonaidh Macleod which was dropping just under the crossbar.
Skye doubled their lead on 29 minutes, Ross Nicolson’s free-hit from the left was played on by Ross Gordon and when Barry MacDonald missed the chance to clear, Dan MacDonald ran in behind him to gleefully whip the ball into the net.
Dan MacDonald then went close from a John Gillies free-hit, holding off Jack Dignan, who had a good game at the back for Lochaber, before sending the ball by the far post from the left of the D.
It looked good for Skye when Ross Gordon got his second and their third goal on 38 minutes. Ross Nicolson’s hit-in from the left wasn’t dealt with by the visiting defence and Gordon flicked the ball home from the left of the D.
Ryan Morrison in the Skye goal palmed away a deflected shot as Lochaber forced a series of corners and they pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time. Ben Delaney won possession before Shaun Nicolson’s ball forward came off Skye defender Martin Pringle and Callison gave the keeper no chance from the front of the D.
Referee Willie MacDonald brought an action-packed first half to a close from the restart.
Skye created the first chance of the second period when Dan MacDonald’s free-hit from the left found William MacKinnon, who had ghosted into space, but he couldn’t get a connection on the ball and Lochaber scrambled it away.
Lochaber substitute Seonaidh MacLeod’s hit-in wasn’t cleared and Ben Delaney ran in towards goal, but Ryan Morrison got the ball away for a corner.
Lochaber forced a number of corners, one of which from Pat Toal on the right saw Max Campbell stretch high at the front of the D and he knocked the ball down and into the goal for a terrific, opportunist finish and it was now 3-2 with 62 minutes played.
Lochaber pinned Skye back but just couldn’t final a leveller and the Skye defence, superbly marshalled by full back Ryan Harrison, protected keeper Ryan Morrison well.
With just four minutes remaining, Pat Toal had the Skye support on edge when he lofted the ball in on goal from wide on the right. With Ryan Morrison scrambling to cover his goal, the ball dropped just by the keeper’s right post.
Skye’s Ross Gordon scored his first goals of the season, and he said: “The strong wind played a massive part in the game.
“Our forwards did the business in the first half, but Lochaber came right back into it, and we had to rely on our defence in the second half.”
Lochaber’s Stuart Callison added: “We have to stop leaving ourselves so much to do in these games as it’s not the first time it’s happened this season.
“That said, you can see overall that we are making progress.”
Lochaber manager Ally Ferguson added: “We were against the wind in the first half but got our thoughts together at half-time and just came up a bit short in the end.
“It’s always competitive here in Portree and I thought Skye did very well but I know we can do better at the back than we did in the first half and that left us a bit much to do.
“We got two goals back and it was a fine line between getting something out of the game and not.
“Stuart Callison’s ball distribution was good when we moved him to full centre and Coner Sweeney went to half forward which is more naturally his position.
“We missed Martin Johnstone in midfield though; he makes a difference for us.
“We’ll keep at it. We are in the Premiership on merit and the guys are competing well and finishing games strongly.”
Mowi National Division
Fort William 4 Kilmallie 0
Kilmallie and Fort William were scheduled to have a 3pm throw up at the Canal Parks but the pitch wasn’t playable and following a Saturday morning inspection by local referee Willie MacDonald, it was deemed that An Aird could host two games.
Fort William hadn’t played for three weeks but they took the lead on 25 minutes through Lewis Clark.
The Fort effectively won the game during the midpoint of the first half as Graham Campbell added two more goals on 26 and 28 minutes.
Cam Stephen made it 4-0 on 55 minutes as the Fort maintained their 100% league record and only trail leaders Beauly on goal difference.
Looking back on the game, Fort William co-manager Alan Knox said: “That was our best performance so far this season and we’re happy to keep a clean sheet and also get our goal difference up a bit.
“Victor Smith never made the squad as he had a setback on Thursday and Archie MacKinnon and Lewis Morrison both came off injured, so we had reshuffle.
“Hamish Shaw came down with the flu on Friday morning so missed out also.
“We now have a big game next week against Beauly, who are also on form, in the MacTavish Cup quarter-finals. Hopefully we will have no injury concerns by then and that Johnny Forster returns to the squad.”
In Mowi North Division 1, the Skye Camanachd seconds were 3-0 winners against the Fort William seconds at An Aird.
All the goals came in the second half as John Archie Tuncay got the opener on 53 minutes with James Robertson adding two more on 61 and 81 minutes.
Skye are a point behind leaders Newtonmore with a game in hand and the sides meet at the Eilan on Saturday.
Former Skye player Iain MacLellan put Lochcarron ahead after 28 minutes in their noon throw up against the Beauly reserves at Braeview Park. Fraser Frost scored on 34 minutes to make the final score 2-0.
Glengarry beat the Glenurquhart second team 2-1 at Blairbeg. This was the second meeting between the sides over a fortnight with ‘Garry also winning 2-1 at Craigard.
The Glen led through Jed Stoddart in the opening mite but Steven Cameron on 64 minutes and Nick Dalgety just five minutes after gave ‘Garry victory and they are second in the division.
In Mowi North Division 2, the Lochaber juniors beat Boleskine 2-0 at Spean Bridge with Ben MacDonald
scoring a goal in each half.
Aberdeen University’s clash with Lewis Camanachd will be rescheduled as the pitch at Balgownie was unplayable.
HIS Sutherland Cup – First Round
Section 2
Lovat 2 Kinlochshiel 0
The Lovat seconds beat the Kinlochshiel in their noon throw up at Balgate with first team manager Jamie Matheson scoring either side of the break for the hosts.
Section 3
Oban Celtic 0 Kilmallie 5
The Kilmallie colts and the Oban Celtic colts were to meet in a noon throw up at the Canal Parks, but the venue was reversed midweek to Oban.
All the goals came in the first half and Kilmallie led through Archie MacNiven on eight minutes. Liam Cameron on 15 minutes and Oran Henderson on 22 minutes made it 3-0.
Stephen MacAlister added a fourth on 40 minutes with Archie MacNiven getting his second a minute later.
WCA Round Up
There were no WCA fixtures over the weekend as the WCA Annual Shinty Camp took place with over 40 players put through their paces at Kilgraston.
Cup Draws
The first round draws for both the Mowi Valerie Fraser Camanachd Cup and the
Mowi Challenge Cup have taken place.
Mowi Valerie Fraser Camanachd Cup – First Round
Aberdour v Glenurquhart
Ardnamurchan v Kinlochshiel
Byes – Dunadd, Inverness
The seeded teams Badenoch, Glasgow Mid Argyll, Lochaber, and holders Skye enter at the quarter-final stage.
Mowi Challenge Cup - First Round
South Section
Glasgow Mid Argyll v Uddingston
Ardnamurchan v Tayforth
Inveraray v English Shinty Association
North Section
Skye Camanachd v Glenurquhart
Lovat v Glengarry
Strathspey v Inverness
Kinlochshiel v Badenoch
Bye - Strathglass
The ties will all be played over the weekend of May 11-12 2024.
Yes! I would like to be sent emails from West Coast Today
I understand that my personal information will not be shared with any third parties, and will only be used to provide me with useful targeted articles as indicated.
I'm also aware that I can un-subscribe at any point either from each email notification or on My Account screen.