Red and blacks keep the pressure on league leaders
Mowi Premiership Oban Camanachd 3 Inveraray 1
Oban Camanachd beat Inveraray 3-1 at Mossfield; a result which relegates the Winterton side.
Oban Camanachd manager Stephen Sloss was again without the injured Willie Neilson and Aidan MacIntyre whilst Malcolm Clark was unavailable and Daniel Cameron started a two-match suspension triggered by his booking in the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup final. Scott MacMillan returned from his two-game ban and he joined Daniel Sloss in midfield with Gary McKerracher and Craig Easton starting in defence.
Inveraray duo Lewis Montgomery and Hamish MacLellan were suspended whilst Craig Taylor, Campbell Watt, Kenny Kirkhope and player/manager Ruaraidh Graham made up their bench.
Oban Camanachd could have gone in front within the opening couple of minutes when Andrew MacCuish surged forward but Inveraray keeper Scott MacLachlan made a good stop. The ball fell kindly for make-shift forward Chrissie MacMillan, outside the D, but his effort was probably struck too cleanly and the ball rattled off the face of the keeper’s left post.
Visiting goalie Scott MacLachlan was certainly on form and he denied Daniel MacCuish, Daniel MacVicar and Andrew MacCuish before play switched to the other end and it was Inveraray who took the lead on 24 minutes when John Kennedy played the ball between the penalty spot and the D where Allan MacDonald let the ball run across his body before turning and blasting home; giving Cameron Sutherland in the Oban goal no chance.
There were harsh words in the Oban Camanachd dressing room at half-time and a revamp saw Keith MacMillan replace Gary McKerracher whilst the forward line switched to a three-one formation with Andrew MacCuish on the D.
The switches paid dividends as the home side drew level just four minutes into the second half when Daniel MacCuish ran forward and Daniel MacVicar volleyed the ball into the net to make it 1-1.
The red and blacks took the lead on 58 minutes when Andrew MacCuish’s turn and shot flew past the keeper.
Just a couple of minutes later, Andrew MacCuish turned provider as he found Scott MacMillan, who finished with a low drive from the left although his effort may have taken a slight deflection.
Two of the game’s best young goalkeepers were on show and Inveraray’s Scott MacLachlan saved his side from a bigger defeat although Oban Camanachd did have to rely on Cameron Sutherland, who made good saves near the end from Garry MacPherson and Allan MacDonald.
The Oban side also introduced youngsters Ross Campbell and Blair MacFarlane for Craig Easton and Scott MacMillan and the win means they and Kyles are the only side, other than championship favourites Kingussie, in the title race as the season moves into the closing stages.
Speaking after the match, Oban Camanachd assistant manager Kenny Wotherspoon said: ‘We were a bit lacklustre in the first half but we sorted a few things out at half-time and deserved the win on our second half performance.
‘Other than Kingussie, ourselves and Kyles are the only other teams that can still win the league at this stage in the season but we have to be realistic, and you have to say that Kingussie, with the games they have remaining, are in a very strong position.
‘We will look to keep the momentum going at Lovat this Saturday but the team selection will again have an eye towards next season.’
Kingussie 3 Kinlochshiel 0
Kingussie moved closer to a first Mowi Premiership title success since 2009 when they beat Kinlochshiel 3-0 in their noon throw up at the Dell
Kingussie’s Kieran MacPherson suffered a knock against Caberfeidh the previous week and he started on the bench so Alexander Michie returned to the starting line-up.
Kinlochshiel hadn’t played since they opened their new pitch at Reraig nine weeks earlier. Duncan Matheson missed that match but he returned and he was joined in the starting line-up by Duncan ‘WD’ MacRae and Andrew MacKenzie.
Martin MacRae and Arron Jack made up a youthful bench as manager Johnston Gill looks to give his youngsters more game experience ahead of next season. Defender Mark MacDonald and attacker Jordan Fraser were missing and Finlay MacRae started at right wing back with Conor Cormack at full centre.
The Kings almost got off to the perfect start when, after just 18 seconds, Roddy Young burst through from a deep position, running some distance in possession, and he tried to place the ball into the net but it went just wide of the post.
There was a moment of controversy on 36 minutes when Roddy Young had the ball in the net but referee Calum Girvan ruled offside after consulting the goal judge. It was a decision hotly disputed by Kingussie.
However, just a couple of minutes later, Kingussie’s James Falconer broke the deadlock, punishing a mistake from a ’Shiel defender, and his daisy-cutter beat goalie Josh Grant.
Kingussie keeper Rory MacGregor had to look lively to parry a John MacRae effort and the hosts took their one-goal advantage into the break.
Fraser Munro sent the ball low into the net from right of centre to make it 2-0 on 55 minutes following a good run from Roddy Young.
’Shiel lost defender David Falconer through injury and unsurprisingly considering their lack of recent action, they appeared to tire and they had to rely on keeper Josh Grant, who saved well on more than one occasion.
Kingussie have been great exponents of set-piece opportunities this season and they converted another three minutes from time when Savio Genini found Ruaridh Anderson, who scored.
The win means only Oban Camanachd can better Kingussie’s current points tally whilst Kyles Athletic can equal it. However, that would take a complete collapse from John Gibson’s side with Oban Camanachd and Kyles Athletic having no margin for error.
Matters could come to a head this coming Saturday with all the challengers in action as Kingussie are at Kilmallie, Kyles Athletic host Newtonmore and Oban Camanachd visit Lovat.
Newtonmore 3 Kyles Athletic 4
Kyles Athletic were 4-3 winners against Newtonmore in their noon throw up at the Eilan. Newtonmore manager Paul John MacKintosh welcomed Iain Richardson and Ewen Fraser back to the starting line-up but Steven MacDonald and Iain Robinson were still out injured.
Duncan Gorman was given a start and Fraser MacKintosh, Jamie Robinson, Owen Fraser and David MacLean were their substitutes.
Kyles Athletic boss Dunky Kerr was without Thomas Whyte but Paul MacArthur started against his former side.
George Thomson, Cairn Limbert and Murdo MacRae made up their bench.
Kyles took the lead on seven minutes following a well-worked passing move between Ross Macrae and Roddy Macdonald with Macdonald turning his man and firing a low shot inside the keeper’s right post.
Both keepers – Kenny Ross for ’More and John Whyte for Kyles – made tremendous saves. Ross palmed away a 25-yard Robbie MacLeod rocket-shot before clearing and Whyte got his stick to a fierce Glen MacKintosh strike.
Newtonmore drew level on 29 minutes when Ewen Fraser’s shot was blocked and the ball fell to Glen MacKintosh, who cleverly slipped it to Drew MacDonald who hit a perfect strike through a crowded defence, inside the keeper’s right post.
Kyles scored the goal of the match on 33 minutes when the impressive Paul MacArthur played a diagonal ball to Robbie MacLeod and he hit an unstoppable 25-yard shot into the top corner of the net.
Newtonmore’s Andy MacKintosh was booked by referee John Angus Gillies for a reckless dive into a challenge as the first half drew to a close.
Newtonmore made changes at the break as Michael Russell left for his sister’s wedding with David MacLean taking over. Then, just five