Beauly future bright as shinty youngsters shine

Fiddle player Finlay MacLennan is making merry music with a spot in a band which has just released its first CD and the 16-year-old proved a double hit when he scored two goals for Beauly’s second team at Drumnadrochit on Saturday and then impressed in the first team match which followed.

MacLennan is among a group of Inverness Royal Academy pupils who formed the Cala Ceilidh Band two years ago and, now their CD Causeway is out, he is swapping fiddle for forward line as one of a quartet of highly promising Beaulysh in ty players breaking through.

MacLennan starred as Beauly beat Glen Urquhart 5- 1 in the second team clash and then proved his fitness by appearing in the senior game, which Glen won 3-1.

Two other 16- year- olds, attacker Euan McCormick and midfielder Ew en Munro, also shone in a relatively inexperienced Beauly side.

A fourth bright prospect, 14- year- old Finlay ‘ Stork’ Maclennan, was on parade for the Green and Whites. Stork is the son of Beauly co- manager and former Scotland Under- 21 cap Jamie Maclennan.

Maclennan Sr said: “My co-manager Roger Cormack and I are really enthusiastic about an excellent future at the club as this talented quartet continue to develop.”

Glen goalkeeper and co-boss Stuart Mackintosh said: “It’s excellent to see that Beauly have assembled a really good young team.

“They had lots of possession in the senior match and I like the look of their youngsters.

“We had the best of the first half, but the second half belonged to Beauly, although we managed to see the game out.”

The Loch N es sm en stunned the visitors with two early goals from their own new teenage first team faces. Josh MacdonaldHaig opened with a really well- taken effort, with Jamie Maclennan adding another from a corner in the sixth minute.

It was still 2- 0 at the interval before Beauly hit back through Jack MacDonald and it was a keenly- contested affair until Conor Golabek slammed Glen’s clincher six minutes from the end.

Meanwhile, Beauly have decided that the Lovat Cup match, due against neighbours Lovat at Braeview Park on New Year’s Day, will not take place.

The trophy, donated by Lord Lovat, has been contested by the two teams since 1904 and usually drawssh in ty’ s biggest attendance outwith the Camanachd Cup final.

Beauly secretary David Calder said: “Our committee takes the view that the Lovat Cup is all about the crowd and the atmosphere and it wouldn’t be sensible to play it at a time of social distancing.

“We’ve spoken to Lovat, who are in agreement. It’s a pity, as its the first time in decades that the match hasn’ t been played for anything other than an unplayable pitch.

“There is a chance we could fit the match in next spring if circumstances allow. But it’s better to pull the plug now on the January 1 showpiece due at our ground.”

Sandy Ralph, one of New to nm ore’ s most celebrated shinty legends, has died at the age of 81.

A dynamic, talented and much- admired forward, Ralph scored a host of goals in all competitions in the Blue and White Hoops.

He was a star during a 20-year golden period for the Eilean club from the mid-1960s.

Ralph won nine Camanachd Cups, his first coming as a teenager when Newtonmore beat Oban Camanachd 3-1 in 1958.

He collected the silvermounted caman for being the winning skipper after a thrilling 5-3 win over Kyles Athletic in 1977 and his last Camanachd triumph was the following year when Kyles were beaten 3-2.

His former team- mate, Camanachd Association chieftain John Mackenzie MBE, said: “Newtonmore has lost one of its greatest shinty legends. Sandy was one of the speediest, most versatile, fearless and skilful players in the game.”