Mowi Premiership
Caberfeidh 2
Oban Camanachd 4
Oban Camanachd’s impressive start to the season continued as they beat Caberfeidh 4-2 in their 3pm throw up at Castle Leod.
Caberfeidh manager Garry Reid was without keeper Iain McCall, so second team goalie John Ritchie was between the sticks. Ben MacDonald returned to take a place on the substitutes’ bench.
Oban Camanachd boss Gareth Evans had both Daniel MacVicar and Scott MacMillan free of suspension. MacVicar started at full centre, with MacMillan on the bench alongside David Lafferty and Andy MacDonald. Matthew Sloss kept his place in the side following his impressive performance in the win over Kyles Athletic a week earlier, while Alexander MacDonald played with Lochside. Jamie Forgrieve made his first competitive start, with an ankle injury ruling out Evan MacLellan.
Caberfeidh struck first on 14 minutes. The Oban defence just could not clear Kevin Bartlett’s free-hit and after Connor Golabek’s shot was blocked, Craig Morrison’s big swing on his left side from 18 yards out sent the ball low into the net, inside keeper Cammy Sutherland’s right post.
However, Camanachd drew level through Malcolm Clark just three minutes after. Daniel MacVicar played possession forward from midfield and, with his back to goal, Matthew Sloss controlled the ball before shooting goalwards. Keeper John Ritchie saved with his feet, but Malcolm Clark took the rising rebound in the air, turning it into the net and the contest remained level until half-time.
Oban Camanachd’s Daniel MacVicar is thriving in the full centre role and he put the visitors in front on 55 minutes. Malcolm Clark touched and then volleyed the ball forward to Matthew Sloss on the right. The Caberfeidh defence just could not pin down Sloss and he jinked before playing the ball into the middle where it fell for MacVicar, who lashed it home before turning in celebration.
With just 15 minutes remaining, referee Calum Girvan awarded Camanachd a penalty when Matthew Sloss was sandwiched between keeper Ritchie and defender Liam Symonds. Louis MacFarlane stepped up to convert his third penalty of the season, high into the net.
Craig Morrison had scored twice in three of his side’s first four games and he did so again with five minutes remaining. Cabers had pushed Blair Morrison up front and he went for a Liam Symonds free-hit from midway inside his own half. Kevin Bartlett twice tried to send the ball goalwards but when it reached Craig Morrison, he took a touch before hammering it home to make it 3-2.
However, it only took Oban Camanachd three minutes to restore their two-goal cushion. Daniel Cameron’s long free-hit down the right found substitute Andy MacDonald, on for Daniel Madej, and when the home defence did not deal with his bouncing ball into the middle, it broke to Matthew Sloss who gave the keeper no chance with a low shot on his left side into the far corner of the net.
To add to Caberfeidh’s woes, Billy Goodall suffered a knee injury which will keep him side-lined for several weeks.
Speaking straight after the final whistle, Gareth Evans said: “There were a lot of eyes on this game today given the starts to the season both teams have made. Caberfeidh are a really good team, they are physical and they can play shinty, but we made a statement today as I think we thoroughly deserved the win. We were the better side, especially in the second half when we had 80 per cent of the play.
“There were several good performances. Daniel MacVicar was excellent and Daniel Sloss somehow played on with a wrist injury, while Matthew Sloss ran the Caberfeidh defence ragged – and there were others.
“Our only dropped point this season was against Newtonmore and that’s a game we really should have won.”
Oban Camanachd are without a fixture this weekend as they have their designated free Saturday.
Evans said: “I must admit that not having a game on Saturday kills the momentum a bit in what has already been a stop-start season. Our next game is against Oban Celtic on Saturday April 15, in the Scottish Sea Farms Glasgow Celtic Society Cup quarter-finals, so we are now focused on that.”
Garry Reid added: “Oban Camanachd came and played very well. They had a game plan and they showed Premier League experience and we didn’t. We didn’t perform well but that’s to take nothing away from Oban Camanachd as they were very good today.”
Newtonmore 3
Kyles Athletic 0 Newtonmore took advantage of Caberfeidh’s defeat to go top the table after beating Kyles Athletic 3-0 at the Eilan.
‘More took the lead with one of the quickest goals of the season. Steven Macdonald won the centre and Declan Brannan sent the ball forward to Craig MacIsaac who turned his marker before slipping the ball by keeper John Whyte. ‘More led with less than 10 seconds on the clock. Iain Robinson made it 2-0 on 55 minutes when he gathered Steven Macdonald’s free-hit before running across the penalty spot and finishing well.
Conor Jones struck a spectacular effort to complete the 3-0 win on 78 minutes. Jones collected a pass in acres of space on the right and when he was not closed down, he crashed the ball high into the net.
Beauly 3
Glasgow Mid Argyll 1
Beauly have made an impressive start to their first season in the Premiership when they won for the second successive match, defeating Glasgow Mid Argyll 3-1 in their 3pm throw up at Braeview Park.
Beauly led through youngster Finlay MacLennan on 22 minutes, but former Kingussie player Chris Holleysong tied the contest at the break with a goal on 35 minutes.
When referee Graeme Irvine awarded Beauly a 56-minute penalty, Jack MacDonald produced his usual deadly finish from the spot.
Robbie Brindle made it 3-1 on 64 minutes to the delight of the home support and Beauly are now the only side in shinty’s top-flight with a 100 per cent record