Camanachd Cup takes centre stage
cottages.com MacTavish Cup – semi final
Newtonmore 2 Kingussie 1
Newtonmore will face Glenurquhart in the cottages.com MacTavish Cup Final, but it took an excellent second half defensive display to ensure they defeated Kingussie 2-1 in their all-Badenoch semi-final at the Eilan.
Glen MacKintosh created and scored the game’s opening goal on four minutes. MacKintosh, with his back to goal, twisted to each side to make enough space on his right before firing into the net with the ball going in off the keeper’s stick.
Evan Menzies was the provider for Newtonmore’s second on 12 minutes as he got by Rory MacKeachan and Calum Grant before cutting in from the right. His ball forward deflected back to him off Ryan MacWilliam and he slipped possession to Glen MacKintosh who scored.
Savio Genini halved the deficit on 17 minutes. Fraser Munro’s hit-in from near the corner flag on the left was knocked down by a home defender and Genini swept the ball first-time into the net with his waisthigh, back-hand shot beating keeper Kenny Ross on his left side.
Steven Macdonald’s big hitting proved effective in the first half and Newtonmore remained 2-1 in front at half-time.
Despite Newtonmore’s good start, Kingussie came back into the tie and the second half belonged to them as they took control of the centre line.
Newtonmore lost Andy MacKintosh, who had to be helped off with an ankle injury on the hour, so Michael Russell dropped back into defence. David MacLean came on up front and had one of Newtonmore’s few second half efforts with a low shot which was saved with his feet by Rory MacGregor.
Kingussie, who put Lee Bain on for Roddy Young with 10 minutes remaining, came close to a leveller when Savio Genini’s effort was cleared off the line by the impressive Craig Ritchie.
This was a tough test for Newtonmore to overcome but they did just enough to win. They relied on their defence of Andy MacKintosh, Craig Ritchie, Iain Richardson and the excellent Rory Kennedy, especially in the second half, and restricted Kingussie in the main to shots from distance. Kennedy’s performance made him the game’s stand-out player.
Kingussie, with Calum Grant and James Hutchison playing well, fell just short on this occasion but they are developing into a fine young side and silverware can’t be far away.
Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup – first round replay Glasgow Mid Argyll 3 Bute 2
Glasgow Mid Argyll made Camanachd Cup progress when they defeated Bute 3-2 in their first round replay at Yoker.
The hosts went in front after seven minutes.
Oliver MacRae shot goalwards but his effort was blocked and fell to Andy McGhee who placed the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
Bute battled back and GMA keeper Robert Dunnings saved well from Robert Zavaroni.
GMA, prompted by the excellent Jonnie MacAskill at wing centre, finished the half strongly and, with half-time looming, Oliver MacRae’s shot was saved by Bute keeper Kevin Queen, but Calum McLay followed up to turn the rebound home.
Both sides had chances before the hosts scored what proved to be a crucial third goal on 74 minutes. Oliver MacRae gathered the ball with his back to goal and turned before driving the ball hard into the bottom corner of the net.
Bute battled until the end though and, on 84 minutes, when a long ball dropped over the home defence, Robert Walker tucked the ball past Robert Dunnings as the keeper came off his line.
Bute went back on the attack and, with just a minute remaining, when a corner launched to the back post wasn’t cleared, Iain McDonald thumped a shot into the top corner of the net to make it 3-2.
Mowi Premiership Oban Camanachd 4 Lochaber 0
Oban Camanachd won for the fifth successive game, beating Lochaber 4-0 at a wet Mossfield.
Oban Camanachd were still without Scott McKillop and Chrissie MacMillan but Keith MacMillan returned, taking over from the unavailable Scott MacMillan. The hosts had a strong bench - Gary McKerracher, Willie Neilson, Blair MacFarlane and Craig MacDougall.
Danny Delaney was free to play for Lochaber but he will miss this Saturday’s Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup tie against Kilmallie after picking up a onematch ban for passing through the disciplinary points threshold. Martin Johnstone was missing.
The hosts created early chances but their shooting lacked accuracy.
They did have the ball in the net through Daniel MacVicar but goal judge Nigel Evans ruled the effort out, spotting that Daniel MacCuish was offside.
The wet conditions made it difficult for both teams and even gripping the stick was difficult at times.
Daniel MacVicar eventually got his goal on 37 minutes. Andrew MacCuish saw his effort saved with his feet by Lochaber keeper Callum MacDonald but MacVicar showed the necessary composure to shoot home from the rebound.
Daniel MacVicar got his and Oban Camanachd’s second a couple of minutes into the second half. Daniel Cameron played a great ball to MacVicar and his effort eluded keeper MacDonald.
Daniel MacCuish scored his fourth goal over the last three games on 58 minutes. Keith MacMillan’s corner came to MacCuish who controlled the ball well as it dropped to his favoured left side and he found the net to make it 3-0.
Oban Camanachd made changes as Daniel Sloss and Andrew MacCuish came off in favour Gary McKerracher and Willie Neilson. Daniel Sloss picked up a first half booking which triggers a suspension for the match against Inveraray on Saturday June 8.
Keith MacMillan went to half back for Sloss and Daniel MacCuish again went onto the wing with McKerracher going to full forward.
Willie Neilson scored goal of the match on 68 minutes. When the ball was fired over to Neilson, he took a touch before rifling the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
Blair MacFarlane came off the bench for Aidan MacIntyre with 12 minutes remaining to make his first senior appearance for Oban Camanachd on the wing.
Oban Camanachd’s Aiden MacIntyre had a good game throughout, whilst Daniel Madej was also effective at full back.
The win lifts Oban Camanachd to fifth in the table ahead of this Saturday’s Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup second round tie against Glenurquhart at Mossfield with the throw-up time to be confirmed. Oban Camanachd have also confirmed their Artemis Macaulay Cup semi-final tie against Kyles Athletic will take place at Mossfield on Wednesday June 12 after they agreed to Kyles Athletic’s request for a date change.
Oban Camanachd assistant manager Kenny Wotherspoon spoke after the win: ‘It’s another good couple of points. We have added to our goals tally and we’ve kept another clean sheet so we’re delighted with our day’s work.
‘Lochaber had a good result against Caberfeidh the previous week so we gave them respect.
‘It was again a case of asking for more from the players at half-time and they responded.
‘We may have made a sluggish start to the season but we now have options with players back.’
Caberfeidh 6 Kinlochshiel 3
Caberfeidh moved out of the relegation zone at Kilmallie’s expense after they came from behind to beat Caberfeidh 6-3 at Castle Leod.
Jordan Fraser put Kinlochshiel ahead on 31 minutes when his 30yard shot went through the keeper’s feet.
Craig Morrison drew Caberfeidh level five minutes later when he went through one-on-one with the keeper who saved his first attempt but Morrison was left with a tap-in.
Craig Morrison then put his side in front on 38 minutes with a half-hit shot from outside the box.
Kinlochshiel brought Finlay MacRae on for Duncan Matheson who had a dead leg. However, MacRae, who has just returned from a broken arm, was only able to play for minutes before being replaced by Andrew MacKenzie.
Morrison completed his hat-trick a minute before the break with a strike from 25 yards that went high into the middle of the net.
Jordan Fraser got his second to pull Kinlochshiel back into it three minutes into the second half. Home keeper Ewan Pilcher made an initial save but the rebound was knocked down and into the net by Fraser to