Kilmory win big amid season opener washout
Kilmory 5 Oban Celtic 0 Mowi South Division Two
Kilmory beat the Oban Celtic second team 5-0 in their 2pm throw up at MacRae Park.
The match was played on a heavy pitch and conditions were terrible for both teams.
Alister MacArthur scored the only goal of the first half on 15 minutes and he got a second just four minutes into the second half.
Kilmory’s more experienced players made the difference and they put gloss on the win as Alex Cunningham on 78 minutes, Hal Jones on 83 minutes and Adam Johnston a minute from time rounded off the 5-0 win.
Inveraray A Oban Camanachd A Mowi Premiership
Oban Camanachd’s new season got off to a false start as their match against newly promoted Inveraray at the Winterton was abandoned early in the second half.
This was Stephen Sloss’ first competitive match as Oban Camanachd manager and he was without Aidan MacIntyre who was unable to travel as he was working so Scott MacMillan came in on the wing. Chrissie MacMillan was banned.
Ruaraidh Graham remains in charge at Inveraray, who won promotion from the National at the end of last season.
With the weather deteriorating, the teams had to be cautious, even during the warm-up, as the pitch was already cutting up.
Connor Howe and Daniel Madej had chances for Oban Camanachd, as did Andrew MacCuish at the start of the second half.
The closest Inveraray came was a Fraser Watt shot from a central position which keeper Cameron Sutherland saved with his chest before clearing for a corner.
However, after 55 minutes, with the match still scoreless, referee Robert Baxter brought the game to an end and the teams will have to do it all over again later in the season.
Speaking after the match, referee Mr Baxter said: ‘I called the game off because of the ground conditions. The pitch was cutting up and boys were sliding in and, basically, I feared for their safety. If the pitch had held up, the game would have continued but it was cutting up badly.’
Inveraray A Lochside Rovers A Mowi South Division One
There was frustration for new Lochside Rovers manager Brian MacCallum as his team’s match against the Inveraray second team at Ganavan was postponed with the Oban side leading 5-0.
MacCallum was able to field a strong side including keeper Gavin Stobbart, Gary McKerracher in defence, Aidan MacIntyre at centre and Willie Neilson up front.
Andrew McMurdo took charge of Inveraray and he was without last year’s top goal scorer John Mackenzie but former Kilmallie player Peter McIntyre returned for a second spell with the club. Inveraray started brightly with Steven Cameron forcing a good save from Lochside keeper Stobbart.
Young Coll Mackay and Campbell Watt’s running were causing Lochside’s defence all sorts of problems in the early stages. However, Lochside came into the game and once Lennon Campbell scored the opener on 14 minutes, they took a grip of the match.
Lewis Buchanan added a second a couple of minutes later and Willie Neilson went on to make it 4-0 with goals on 20 and 27 minutes – and his strike on the angle was the pick of the afternoon’s goal.
Lewis Buchanan got his second on 35 minutes and Lochside led 5-0 at the break.
Young Gregor Mather in the Inveraray goal was in inspired form, preventing Lochside from adding to their tally. Referee Euan MacDonald consulted both managers at halftime as the Ganavan pitch was cutting up and puddles appearing so the sensible decision to abandon the game was taken.
Lochside look to have a strong, attacking team with a mixture of youth and experience while Inveraray’s aim is to continue to blood their youngsters.