National win caps great season for Oban club

OBAN Camanachd Club completed a remarkable season on Saturday when their Under 17 team won the National Marine Harvest London Shield Final defeating Skye 3 - 2 at the Eilean, Newtonmore.

With the senior team finishing second equal in the premier league as well as reaching the Scottish Cup final and with team manager Ian Hay voted premiership league manager of the year, season 2016 proved to be one of the best in recent years.

Lochside Rovers, the club’s reserve side, finished third in South Division 1, finishing the top reserve side in the league made up of one-team clubs and reserve sides. The club’s under 14 team just missed out in the national Ken MacMaster competition, beaten 3-2 in the semi-final by Kyles Athletic in what was regarded as one of the best games played at this level.

It has been a long, hard season for both under 14s and under 17s, who play most of their games against north opposition.

For team coaches Stephen Sloss and Brian Logan, at under 14 level, and David MacCuish, Scott Buchanan and George Easton, at under 17, the season has produced a wealth of talent that will stand the club in good stead for years to come. For Lochside Rovers, after reaching the Sutherland Cup final and losing South Division 1 on goal difference in 2015, this season was a period of consolidation with team manager Gareth Evans bringing in several players from the successful under 17 group to play regularly at this level.

And with Daniel MacVicar and Ross MacMillan firmly established in the senior set-up, the club is in a healthy position to kick on next season. Ultimately, it is Oban Camanachd who will benefit from the youth set-up and, hopefully, have another successful season in 2017.