Camanachd Cup quarter-finals
Kilmallie 3 Oban Camanachd 4
THE MATCH of the day was at Canal Parks where Oban Camanachd came from behind three times to eventually beat a determined Kilmallie side 4-3 in their Camanachd Cup quarter-final tie.
Before the game there was a minute’s silence for former president of Oban Camanachd Club Duncan MacIntyre who sadly passed away midweek after a long illness.
Kilmallie had players back from the side that beat Inverness in the league a week earlier. Shane Gillies returned in goal while Martin Stewart and Liam MacDonald were also back and Peter Carmichael and Michael Rodger were free of one-match suspensions.
Oban Camanachd travelled with a full squad for the 3pm throw up.
The game started at a hectic pace with the home forwards giving the Camanachd defence a torrid time and it was no surprise when, after 21 minutes, Liam MacDonald latched on to a poor clearance to put the home side one up.
Camanachd’s response was immediate though as Andrew ‘Papa’ MacCuish levelled the score two minutes later.
Once again the Oban defence was found wanting when Brian MacKay restored the home side’s lead. On the half-hour mark, however, after good lead-up play by Daniel Cameron, Andrew MacCuish scored his second goal of the game to draw Camanachd level.
This only lasted a minute as Duncan Rodgers restored the home side’s lead after more sloppy defending by the Oban side.
There was no further scoring before referee Calum Girvan sounded the whistle for halftime.
Whatever was said at halftime by team manager Iain Hay seemed to have the desired effect with the Camanachd defence having a more solid look as the second half got under way.
With the midfield trio of David Lafferty, Lorne Dickie and Aidan MacIntyre in control of the midfield, it was the premier league side which drew level through Andrew ‘Papa’ MacCuish completing his hat-trick. His shot deceived the home keeper although there were claims by the home defence that an infringement had been committed.
On consulting his goal judge the referee awarded the goal.
The Oban side’s superior fitness was beginning to tell and in 63 minutes Connor Howe put Camanachd ahead for the first time in the game.
Camanachd could have added to their score but an Andrew MacCuish effort hit the side-net and a goal by Daniel MacVicar was disallowed after the young player was judged to have dragged the ball with his foot before scoring.
Team manager Iain Hay rang the changes bringing on Scott MacMillan for Aidan MacIntyre, Malcolm Clark for Daniel MacVicar and Willie Neilson for Connor Howe.
At the final whistle, the Oban side were deserved winners for their second half performance.
This was a great game of shinty, played in front of a big crowd who generated a fantastic atmosphere in the rain and it’s Oban Camanachd who went into Monday’s semi-final draw.
After the tie, Oban Camanachd manager Iain Hay said: ‘We had a very good second half when the whole team played well. It was a great game of shinty though and I was pleased with our fitness levels. It’s good to be in the semi-final draw.’
Next up for Oban Camanachd is a Marine Harvest Premiership visit to the Dell to play Kingussie this Saturday. Throw up is at 3.30pm.
The big games also keep coming for Kilmallie and they now have a Balliemore Cup final against Caberfeidh at Blairbeg to look forward to this coming weekend.
Newtonmore 4 Skye Camanachd 2
NEWTONMORE beat Skye Camanachd 4-2 at the Eilan.
Evan Menzies returned for ’More after suspension. Rory Kennedy was also back but Fraser MacKintosh was still missing.
Skye had skipper Neil MacVicar back after injury but they were minus Gilleasbuig MacDonald, Chris MacLennan, Iain Nicolson and David MacInnes.
Newtonmore put Skye under pressure from the throw up and Jamie Gannon made a terrific save with his feet after Jamie Robinson had drifted in from the left and fired the ball goalwards.
Skye survived the early ’More onslaught and a James Pringle shot went wide midway through the half.
Newtonmore took the lead on 25 minutes. An initial shot was saved with his hand by Skye keeper Jamie Gannon but Evan Menzies bundled the rebound over the line to make it 1- 0.
Jamie Gannon pulled off a terrific save with his hand from a deflected Glen MacKintosh shot three minutes later but Evan Menzies got his and Newtonmore’s second goal with a low shot from 20 yards out with just a couple of first-half minutes remaining.
Skye started the second half well and ’More keeper Owen Fraser made a good stop with his feet to deny Danny Morrison a couple of minutes after the restart.
The Skye rearguard was defending well but there was little they could do on 55 minutes as Norman Campbell made it 3- 0 with a 20-yard drive.
’More substitute Iain Robinson made it 4- 0 on 70 minutes when he created space for himself before sending a low shot into the corner of the net.
A 20-yarder from Skye substitute Ally ‘Cleodi’ MacLeod was expertly dealt with by keeper Owen Fraser as the tie moved into the final 15 minutes.
Skye had made substitutions which aided them as an attacking force and, with six minutes remaining, a superb 20-yard shot from Jordan Murchison flew past Owen Fraser to make it 4-1.
Skye were awarded a penalty on 88 minutes when referee Deek Cameron penalised Owen Fraser for playing the ball while on the ground. Jordan Murchison made no mistake from the spot hit, sending a low shot into the corner of the net.
Newtonmore deserved their place in the last four of the Camanachd Cup and the sides meet in league action at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree, this coming Saturday.
Kinlochshiel 1 Beauly 1
KINLOCHSHIEL and Beauly will have to do it all over again this coming weekend after they drew 1-1 at Kirkton.
Kinlochshiel keeper Scott Kennedy returned in goal after missing the previous weekend’s league win over Kingussie because of a groin injury sustained against Skye a fortnight earlier.
Raymond Gillies deputised against Kingussie and he was named on the bench for this game as a precaution in case Kennedy’s injury flared up.
Paul MacRae went over his ankle in the Skye match and he also missed the Kingussie clash but he was back for this one with a strapped ankle. Defender Mark MacDonald was on holiday so Calum MacLean continued in defence. Beauly boss Steven MacLean was without Barrie MacDonald. He made his return from a long injury lay- off a week earlier but was ruled out with a swollen knee.
Colin MacDonald, Jamie MacLennan, Sandy Elrick and Liam Mutch were missing. David MacLean started at buckshee back with Ryan Tillman at full centre. Beauly shocked their hosts when they took the lead after just three minutes. Ross Forbes and Marc MacLachlan worked the ball up the Beauly left and MacLachlan sent a deep cross to the back post. Keeper Kennedy stumbled as he came off his line to clear the danger and Conor Ross did well to hold off Calum MacLean and steer the ball low into the far corner of the net from a tight angle to make it 1- 0.
Kinlochshiel had most of the first half pressure but the closest they came to an equaliser was a low John MacRae shot which was well saved with his foot by a stretching Josh Grant in the Beauly goal.
The pattern of play continued in the same vein during the second half and Kinlochshiel drew level on 56 minutes from a set-piece when John MacRae ran in from the left to sweep the ball into the net.
Jordan Fraser had the ball in the net shortly after but referee Graham Cameron ruled the effort out for offside. Despite all ’Shiel’s pressure, this was a spirited performance from Beauly and they could have won it late in the game when a Jack MacDonald shot from the right came back off Scott Kennedy’s right post.
Beauly’s David MacLean put in a man- of-the-match performance in defence while full centre Ryan Tillman also caught the eye.
The teams will do it all over again at Braeview Park this coming Saturday where the Marine Harvest Premiership side will start as favourites against their Marine Harvest National Division opponents.
Kyles Athletic 2 Lochaber 2
Kyles Athletic had to twice come from behind to earn a replay against Lochaber in their 3pm throw up at a wet Tighnabruaich.
Andrew King’s return to the Kyles Athletic defence a week earlier was a timely boost for the home side, while Lochaber had Kevin Ferguson available after a two-match ban.
Ben Delaney gave Lochaber the lead after 37 minutes, only for Dunkie Kerr to equalise on the stroke of half-time.
Neil MacDonald put Lochaber back in front on 51 minutes when he fired the ball over Kyles’ keeper John Whyte’s right shoulder.
Grant Irvine drew Kyles level for a second time with a goal on 64 minutes.
Lochaber deployed Barry MacDonald against Grant Irvine in the middle of the park and the youngster had a fine game.
The sides were scheduled to meet at Tighnabruaich in the league this coming Saturday. Instead they will replay their Camanachd Cup quarter-final tie at Spean Bridge.
Lochaber’s Brenan MacDonald will be an injury concern for that game as he left Tighnabruaich with his arm in a sling after taking a blow to the elbow.