Scottish Sea Farms Glasgow Celtic Society Cup - Semi Final
Kyles Athletic 1
Oban Camanachd 1
(Kyles won 3-0 on penalties) Holders Kyles Athletic came from behind beat Oban Camanachd in the most dramatic of circumstances following their 3pm throw-up at Tighnabruaich.
Andrew King returned to the Kyles defence after recovering from a leg gash but Robbie Macleod and Callum Millar were both missing.
Daniel Cameron and Malcolm Clark returned to Oban Camanachd’s starting line-up but they were still without Evan MacLellan.
It was a case of what might have been for Oban Camanachd as, with Blair MacFarlane dominating the midfield and Daniel Sloss in charge at the back, they missed several good opportunities to win the tie during the regulation 90 minutes.
The closest they came was a late Daniel MacVicar effort from outside the D which found the net but was disallowed by the referee.
Kyles were reduced to 11 players late in the tie when Oban Camanachd’s Daniel MacVicar, who played well against the more experienced Andrew King, and King took fierce swings at the ball. King, who had by now lost his club, kicked out and was sent off by referee Deek Cameron with MacVicar booked.
With no goals during the 90 minutes, extra time ensued and Oban Camanachd claimed the goal they craved on 99 minutes when Daniel Cameron’s ball into the danger area was knocked down and Scott MacMillan, who had pushed forward, thumped the ball high into the net from 15 yards out to put Oban Camanachd in front.
With just minutes of stoppage time remaining, Kyles Athletic manager Robert Baxter had to leave to attend to a family matter and he could probably scarcely believe what happened next.
Head cuts suffered by both Daniel Madej and Daniel Cameron forced four minutes of stoppage time which was a couple of minutes old when Daniel Madej held the ball up before turning and heading for the Kyles D. Madej was brought down and referee Cameron pointed to the spot. Scott MacMillan struck the penalty well enough, low and hard to the keeper’s right, but it went just the wrong side of the post.
From the resultant goal-hit, John Whyte launched the ball into the middle of the park where Scott McKillop was penalised for sprawling over his opponent. The ball was played towards the back post where Daniel Cameron and Roddy MacDonald tangled with the Oban man penalised. The free-hit, flicked into the goal area, spun high off Daniel Cameron’s leg and whilst Scott MacMillan looked to clear, Ross MacRae came from nowhere to volley the ball into the net to make it 1-1.
There was just enough time to throw up before referee Deek Cameron took the tie to penalties and with Oban penalty-taking pair Malcolm Clark and Connor Howe off the park, there wasn’t time to reintroduce them ahead of the shoot-out.
Kyles won the toss of the coin and went first with Ross MacRae scoring. However Scott MacMillan’s penalty, although strongly struck, went down the middle and John Whyte saved well with his chest.
Finan Kennedy showed no nerves as he converted Kyles second penalty and there followed more Oban agony as Louis MacFarlane’s strike to the keeper’s right was saved with his foot by John Whyte by his right post.
Sorley Thomson’s penalty down the middle was saved by Cameron Sutherland to give Camanachd hope but they weren’t able to capitalise as Daniel Cameron’s attempt was dragged wide of the keeper’s right post.
All focus was now on Conor Kennedy and he made no mistake as he cracked the ball home to send Kyles through to the final.
Roddy MacDonald wasn’t required for Kyles fifth penalty but his performance at full back was of man of the match proportions and his reading of the game was exceptional.
Speaking afterwards, Oban Camanachd manager Gareth Evans said: “We played so well and created so many chances but we just couldn’t do the most important bit during the 90 minutes which is of course putting the ball in the net.
“Even when we got ahead, I still felt we needed the second goal.
“We were due to play Caberfeidh this coming Saturday but they now have a rearranged MacTavish semi against Skye so we don’t have a match. We’ll take the time to work on a few things and consider what changes we need to make before we play next.’
Glasgow Mid Argyll 2 Inveraray 1
Former Oban Celtic player Ally McKerracher was the toast of Glasgow Mid Argyll as his double in the 3pm throw-up against Inveraray at Peterson Park sent his side into next month’s Scottish Sea Farms Glasgow Celtic Society Cup Final.
McKerracher got GMA off to a great start with a goal on eight minutes when he rolled the full back before slotting the ball past Inveraray keeper Scott MacLachlan from the edge of the box.
Then, on 57 minutes, the ball broke to Ally McKerracher from a poor clearance out of the visiting defence and he drove the ball into the net.
Both McKerracher goals were good finishes but GMA were also wasteful in front of goal and should have scored more and they were forced to endure a nervy end to the match when, on 74 minutes, Fraser Watt scored his fifth goal over the last four matches to make it 2-1.
However GMA stayed in front to reach the final of a trophy the Glasgow side hasn’t won since 1987.