Lochside Rovers presented with South Division One league trophy
Oban Camanachd end of season sixes
THE INAUGURAL Oban Camanachd end of season sixes took place on a cold but dry and sunny day at Mossfield on Saturday November 18.
This was a fun day for all associated with the club and eight teams of mainly eight players signed up to the event.
After an entertaining afternoon’s shinty, Lorne Dickie’s Jura side and Gavin Stobbart’s Colonsay squad won through to the final. The sides could not be separated and a sudden death penalty shoot-out decided the outcome.
Willie Neilson sent Colonsay’s first penalty over the bar.
Jura keeper Brian MacCallum had an excellent tournament, something he reminded his teammates about at the club function later in the evening, and he proved to be the match winner when he converted his penalty to give Jura the trophy.
Argyll and Bute councillor Roddy MacCuish presented the trophy to Jura captain Lorne Dickie.
Jura from: Lorne Dickie, captain, Steven Sloss, Daniel Sloss, Stephen Campbell, Drew Walker, Brian MacCallum, Lennon MacKechnie, Dougie MacDonald and Allan MacKechnie.
Katy Cameron and Eilidh McKay organised, cooked and sold food and drinks during an afternoon which proved to be a fine fundraiser for the club.
Lochside Rovers trophy presentation
LOCHSIDE Rovers were presented with the Marine Harvest South Division 1 trophy immediately after Oban Camanachd’s inaugural end of season sixes at Mossfield on Saturday November 18.
Camanachd Association president Jim Barr performed what could be one of his final duties before standing down at this week’s annual general meeting when he joined Argyll and Bute Councillor Roddy MacCuish to present the Marine Harvest South Division 1 trophy to Lochside Rovers captain Michael MacQueen in front of a delighted squad.
Lochside went through the league season losing only once and added the Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup earlier in the season to round off a terrific year for Gareth Evans’ side.
Kilmallie winners
KILMALLIE announced their 2017 player of the year awards at their annual dinner dance at The Moorings Hotel on Saturday November 18.
In the night’s most poignant moment, Duncan Rodger, who passed away earlier this season, was named Kilmallie first team player of the year.
The other winners were: Kilmallie Second Team Player of the Year - Dean Williamson.
Kilmallie U17 Player of the Year- Calum MacDougall.
Kilmallie U17 Most Improved Player-of the Year - Cam Clark
Kilmallie U14 Player of the Year - Andrew Dingwall.
Kilmallie U14 Most Improved Player of the Year - Ben Mackinnon.
Camanachd Association AGM
A NUMBER of matters are up for consideration at the 2017 Camanachd Association annual general meeting at The West End Hotel, Fort William, on Friday November 24.
New appointments
KEITH Loades is expected to be confirmed as Camanachd Association president, taking over from Jim Barr who he has been shadowing for the last six months in a president-elect role.
Keith Loades has been a Camanachd Association board member for the last three years, latterly as vice president.
His aims include offering strong leadership, building good relationships, implementing shinty’s new strategic plan, financial stability and strengthening the Camanachd Association board with the appropriate skills.
Keith Loades is retired after 33 years in the construction industry during the last 10 years of which he was commercial director (Scotland) with a large construction company.
He had a distinguished playing career, mostly with Kinlochshiel, a club he managed on three occasions.
Finance director Daniel Palombo is up for re-election and is seeking a second term in office to continue his efforts to stabilise and improve the Camanachd Association’s financial position.
Wendy Chamberlin, a current member of Aberdour Shinty Club who has strong links with Kyles Athletic, is standing for election.
She is currently co-opted as the Camanachd Association’s board’s first female director and she wishes to chair the club and volunteer portfolio.
Colin Cameron also stands for election. He was part of the Strachur side which reached the 1983 Camanachd Cup Final and has been involved with the club since. He is looking to see shinty flourishing in the traditional playing heartlands.
New resolutions
PROPOSED changes to byelaw 1 (rules of play) put before members include:
• Minor alterations to the ball, allowing the core to be made of a solid composite material which does not absorb water.
• Players will no longer have to wear the same colour helmets as their team mates. Helmets must be free of any sharp edges and should be secured to the head by use of a chinstrap.
• Secondary shorts no longer need to be the same colour as the team shorts.
• The procedures following a sending off have been expanded to include team officials who have been dismissed.
• It has been clarified that all persons representing a club in an active capacity at any game are subject to the same rules, standards of conduct and actions as the players and named substitutes. This is intended to address aggressive dissent, abusive remarks and foul language from the touchline support teams. Having to regularly face this type of behaviour is the most common reason given by individuals who give up refereeing or decline to take up a role in refereeing when approached to do so.
• If the two centre players are one left-handed and the other right-handed, the choice of the side for the throw up shall alternate throughout the game rather than the players having the advantage for a half each.
• The rules in relation to ‘cleeking’ have been explained further, clarifying that ‘cleeking’ is permissible but that dangerous lifting and downward hacking are not.
• The term persistent fouling is defined as a minimum of three fouls committed by an individual player. A warning for persistent fouling shall be issued after a minimum of three fouls has been committed by an individual player. The warning must be specific to the player and it must be made clear that a caution will follow if the player continues to foul. The same procedure will apply if a further caution is to be issued to an individual player for persistent fouling.
• To prevent foul and abusive language (including frustration with oneself), it is proposed this features as a distinct cautionable offence. If the swearing is aggressive or abusive or directed specifically at the referee or a goal judge, then there are grounds for immediate dismissal of the offending player.
• Deliberately preventing a clear goal scoring opportunity through foul play is categorised as a cautionable offence.
New Lewis management
LEWIS Camanachd have named their new management team for the 2018 shinty season. John MacAskill will be the first team manager, assisted by Andrew MacAskill.
John MacAskill spent the 2017 shinty season as assistant manager to Duncan MacIntyre who steps down after two years in charge at the island club.
Peter Gomez will captain Lewis Camanachd next season with Ally Lamont vice captain.
David Macdonald continues as chieftain.
Fort William AGM
FORT William’s senior club annual general meeting will take place at the clubhouse, An Aird, on Monday December 11 at 7.30pm.
Oban Lorn awards
OBAN Lorn shinty club held their annual prize giving at the Rowantree Hotel, Oban on Saturday November 11.
The main winners were: Ladies Player of the Year Karen MacKinnon; Ladies Most Improved Player of the Year - Gillian Ruth MacKechnie; Ladies U18 Player of the Year - Mairi Inglis; U14 Player of the Year - John Douglas; Most Improved U14 Player of the Year - Duncan MacEwan; Attendance Awards - William MacEwan, Cameron Crowe and James Manson.
Ballachulish boss Wilson stands down
BALLACHULISH have begun the search for a new manager after Donald Wilson stepped down.
Wilson’s assistant Malcolm Grant has also left his role.
As well as passing on their gratitude to Wilson and Grant for their services, the club have moved quickly to find replacements and are now accepting applications for a new senior management team.
Anyone interested in these positions should contact club chairman Iain Brown on 07747 634418.
Ballachulish’s annual general meeting takes place at The Jubilee Park Pavilion, Ballachulish, on Thursday December 7 at 7.30pm.
Ballachulish, like all other community groups, are looking for volunteers to help ensure the club has a future.
The AGM is open to anyone, not just players and committee members, who wish to discuss matters in relation to the club.
Skye Camanachd Player of the Year awards
THE 2017 Skye Camanachd player of the year awards were presented at a celebration to mark the club’s 125th year at the Portree Community Centre on Saturday November 18.
With 240 people in attendance, the 2017 club player of the year was defender Ally MacDonald who received the John ‘The Caley’ Trophy. Ally MacDonald played most of the season at full back, covering for Steven Morrison’s absence, and his contribution went a long way to aiding Skye’s Marine Harvest National Division title success.
Second team keeper and captain Ryan Morrison was rewarded for some superb performances when he collected the second team player of the year award.
Marine Harvest WCA National player of the year Lorna MacRae captained Skye Camanachd Ladies to Marine Harvest National Division 1 and Marine Harvest Valerie Fraser Cup successes and she rounded off a terrific season by being named Skye Camanachd Ladies player of the year as well as being awarded the coveted ‘Caman DR’.
The Angus Murchison trophy, presented to the person who has done most for the club off the field of play, was awarded to Alice Martin who has done so much behind the scenes for many years.
William MacKinnon, who plays senior shinty for Inverness, was named U17 player of the year with Taylor Matheson taking the U14 award.
MacRae stays in charge at Beauly
ALAN MacRae remains in charge of the Beauly first team following the club’s annual general meeting at the Lovat Arms Hotel on Thursday November 16.
Beauly will be delighted the Scotland U21 head coach will lead the side for a second season in the Marine Harvest National Division.
Alan Bruce and Kyle MacDonald will look after the Beauly reserve side.
Gregor McCormick and Niall MacLennan will continue to work with Beauly U17 and U14 squads.
Beauly president David Calder was made a life member to mark his 25 years at the club.
Youth shinty Dunoon U14 5 Bute U14 1
The U14 South of Scotland League was decided at Dunoon Grammar School on Friday November 10 when Dunoon hosted Bute in the final game of the season.
Bute went into the match only needing a draw to secure the title. Dunoon knew nothing less than a victory was required if they were to get their hands on the championship.
Dunoon, backed by a good home support, made a bright start, pushing the islanders back from the throw-up.
Bute appeared to have weathered the early storm but the Dunoon pressure told on 12 minutes when Ross Donald found himself free at the back of the D and he powered the hosts in front with a low shot into the net.
Dunoon’s neat pass and move shinty was rewarded on 20 minutes when an angled through ball found Neily McNaughton wide on the left and he rifled an unstoppable shot high into the net to make it 2-0.
Bute looked to have grabbed a lifeline on 25 minutes when the ball was bundled over the line but the referee spotted a ‘kick’ and awarded a free-hit in Dunoon’s favour.
A couple of minutes later, Dunoon netted a crucial third goal when Neily McNaughton scored his second goal of the game, giving his side a comfortable 3-0 cushion going into half-time.
The second half continued in the same vein with intelligent movement from the Dunoon forwards causing Bute all sorts of problems. Finan Kennedy finished off a great move on 32 minutes, expertly lobbing the keeper, to make it 4-0.
With Bute pushing forward, Dunoon hit them on the counter-attack and a free flowing move involving Sam Bulloch and Mark Crowe set up a chance for Marcus Keith who fired home from distance to add a fifth on 45 minutes.
Bute grabbed a consolation goal five minutes from the end through Steven Dunn.
This was a tremendous effort from Dunoon who only dropped three points throughout their league campaign.
Colin Cameron from the Camanachd Association presented the trophy to Dunoon captain Kyle Kerr.