''Special'' goal puts GMA out of Macaulay Cup

Artemis Macaulay Cup - semi finals

 

Oban Camanachd 1 Glasgow Mid Argyll 0

 

Matthew Sloss is enjoying a dream debut season for Oban Camanachd and the 15-year-old’s latest contribution was the match-winning goal against Glasgow Mid Argyll at Mossfield to send his side through to the Artemis Macaulay Cup final.

 

Oban Camanachd skipper Daniel Sloss called off the day before the game with a virus, but Louie McFarlane recovered from a foot injury to start in defence whilst Malcolm Clark was free of his suspension and lined up in attack.

 

Daniel Madej returned from holiday to take a place on the bench, but the tie came too soon for the injured Andy MacDonald whilst Ross Macmillan was ineligible having played for Inveraray earlier in the competition.

 

GMA defender John Don MacKenzie returned to the side after being rested for the previous week’s draw with Beauly.

 

Youngsters Arran Byrne and Zac Menzies kept their places in the starting line-up but Craig Anderson, Finlay MacMillan and John McNulty were all unavailable.

 

This was the fourth meeting between the sides this season, with the Oban side winning the previous three encounters.

 

GMA keeper Jonathan Oates was on top form and time and again, he stood between Oban Camanachd and a comfortable half-time lead.

 

The hosts should have gone ahead when a short free-hit was played to Lewis Cameron whose shot hit the crossbar and Daniel MacCuish, on the right, screwed the rebound wide.

 

The Oban side made a change at the break with Gregor MacDonald taking over from Craig Macmillan on the wing.

 

GMA had a spell of pressure around the hour mark, but Oban Camanachd continued to move the ball around well to make opportunities. Daniel Madej came on in attack and Malcolm Clark going on the wing. Evan MacLellan was withdrawn.

 

The home side felt they had a penalty claim when Daniel Madej went down inside the D under Ryan Harrison’s challenge, but referee Willie MacDonald waved away their claims.

 

It was going to take something special to beat keeper Jonathan Oates but that moment came on 67 minutes.

 

Matthew Sloss, who had an excellent game throughout, spun his marker and his vicious shot from fully 30 yards on the right flew across the keeper and into the far top corner of the net to make it 1-0.

 

Looking back on the game, Oban Camanachd manager Gareth Evans said: “We started like a house on fire and their keeper made three or four unbelievable saves with one shot hitting him on the visor.

 

“I thought it wasn’t going to be our day at one point, but Matthew’s goal was something special and fit enough to win any game.

 

“Along with Matthew, I thought Daniel Cameron, Blair McFarlane and Scott Robertson all played really well."

 

Oban Camanachd will now meet Kingussie in the Artemis Macaulay Cup final at Mossfield on Saturday 19 August 19 2023, a repeat of last year’s showpiece occasion.

 

Mowi Premiership

 

Kyles Athletic 3 Skye Camanachd 2

 

Kyles Athletic came from two goals down to beat Skye Camanachd 3-2 at the Playing Field, Tighnabruaich.

 

Kyles were at full strength with a bench of Finan Kennedy, Tom Whyte and Roan MacVicar.

 

Skye’s James Morrison was suspended but Jamie Gillie returned to the side.

 

Skye took the lead with a superb goal on 20 minutes. James Pringle crossed the ball into the danger area where Jamie Gillies, fully stretched, guided the ball into the net one-handed.

 

It got even better for the Islanders just six minutes later when Jamie Gillies sent a shot screaming by home keeper John Whyte to claim his second goal of the game.

 

Will Cowie returned to haunt his former side when he pulled a goal back for Kyles on 33 minutes.

 

Innes Macdonald struck a hit-in into the edge of the box where there was a melee in a cluttered goal area and the ball broke kindly to Cowie who smashed a hard, low shot on his back-hand, through a couple of Skye defenders, and into the net.

 

Skye had the chance to restore their two-goal lead around 10 minutes into the second half when Ross Gordon went one-on-one with keeper John Whyte but failed to convert.

 

Skye had the wind but in a key change, Kyles moved Roddy Macdonald from full centre to full forward and that changed the game as Kyles maintained the control of the midfield with Macdonald causing all sort of problems for the Skye defence.

 

Roddy Macdonald made it 2-2 on the hour. It was a scrappy goal as Macdonald pounced on a deflection inside the D and he slipped the ball by keeper Murphy Henderson.

 

The winning goal came on 73 minutes. Innes Macdonald played a corner into the D and although a Skye defender made contact, he couldn’t get the ball away and following an eight-player scramble, Roddy Macdonald tapped the ball home to make it 3-2.

 

Kyles immediately moved Roddy Macdonald back into defence and they saw out the remainder of the contest.

 

Speaking immediately after the final whistle, Kyles player/coach Roddy Macdonald said: “It was a good result and takes us up the table. It was a sticky game, but we created the more chances, so we’re delighted to get the win after last week's disappointment against Lovat.

 

"Skye are a good side though, tough opponents for any team, but hopefully we can keep moving in the right direction.”

 

Mowi National Division

 

Col Glen 1 Fort William 3

 

Fort William recovered from the loss of a goal midway through the first half to beat Col Glen 3-1 at Glendaruel.

 

Col Glen’s Jamie MacVicar was banned but boss Ronnie MacVicar gave Ben Shepherd a debut in the game whilst injury continued to rule out Fort William’s Cam Stephen but there were call-ups for Struan Stephen and Arran Stephen.

 

Col Glen, with Andrew MacVicar excellent at half back, struck first with full centre Hamish Harrison pushing forward to scoring after 23 minutes with his effort taking a wicked bounce on its way past the keeper.

 

Calum Shepherd levelled on 27 minutes, punishing a mix-up in the home defence.

 

Victor Smith gave the Fort a 2-1 interval lead with a low shot by keeper Scott Symons on 42 minutes and he got his second and Fort William’s third to win the game on 66 minutes.

 

Inveraray 2 Glenurquhart 2

 

Glenurquhart returned to the top of the Mowi National Division, but only on goal difference, after drawing 2-2 with Inveraray at the Winterton.

 

Inveraray’s Ruaraidh Graham started a two-game ban following his red card against Lochaber the previous week.

 

The Glen led twice in the game, but each time Inveraray fought back as a Fraser Watt goal on 31 minutes wiped out Daniel MacLean’s 26-minute opener and then Neil Campbell scored on 59 minutes to cancel out John Barr’s 41-minute effort.

 

Looking back on the game, Inveraray manager Andrew Watt said; “It was a really competitive and physical game, with both teams dominating for periods.

 

“I thought we started the game really well and were unlucky not to take the lead during the first 10 or 15 minutes of the first half.

 

“Similar to our last home game, we were disappointed to be behind at half-time but as the players have done on a number of occasions this season, they were able to get back into the game and we should probably have scored another couple of goals in the second half.”

 

"attachment_989485" "" "300"] Fraser Watt celebrates his goal, Inveraray's first of the game, against Glenurquhart. Photograph Andrew Sinclair.

 

Mowi South Division 1

 

Glasgow Mid Argyll P Bute P 

 

The top of the table noon throw up between the Glasgow Mid Argyll second team and the Bute first team at Peterson Park will be rescheduled as GMA were unable to raise a team.

 

The Glasgow side were deducted two points meaning Bute now have a three point cushion at the summit with five games to go.

 

With the Newtonmore second team building a significant lead in Mowi North Division 1, a Bute title win could secure safe passage to the Mowi National Division as the 'More seconds are ineligible.

 

Mowi South Division 2

 

Bute 3 Inveraray 1

 

The Bute juniors leap-frogged the Inveraray juniors to go fourth in the table after beating their rivals 3-1 in their noon throw up at the Winterton.

 

Neil McKirdy gave the hosts a 12-minute advantage but Ewan Donnan equalised 4 minutes before the interval.

 

John MacCallum put the Islanders back in front five minutes after the restart and Ronnie MacMillan made it 3-1 with 15 minutes remaining.

 

Kilmory P Aberdour P 

 

The 2pm throw up between Kilmory and the Aberdour reserves at MacRae Park will be rescheduled.

 

(All throw ups were at 2.30pm unless the match report states differently)

 

Women's Camanachd Association round-up

 

Mowi Valerie Fraser Camanachd Cup –semi-finals

 

Glenurquhart 3 Glasgow Mid Argyll 6

 

Glasgow Mid Argyll reached the final for the first time since 2015 with a 6-3 victory over Glenurquhart in their 3pm throw up at the Jubilee Park.

 

Joan Nicolson scored twice for GMA before Lucy McNulty added a third and then a fourth.

 

Joan Nicolson then completed her hat-trick to make it 5-0 at the interval.

 

Zoe Smith pulled a goal back before Lucy McNulty completed her hat-trick.

 

Zoe Smith scored again, and Hazel Hunter netted to make it 6-3 but it was GMA’s day.

 

Mowi Challenge Cup – semi-finals

 

Kinlochshiel 16 Dunadd 0

 

Kinlochshiel were too strong for Dunadd, winning 16-0 in their 12.30pm throw up at the Jubilee Park.

 

Lexie MacKenzie and Lorna MacRae both scored in the opening minute for 'Shiel to set the tone of the game.

 

MacKenzie and MacRae looked unstoppable as Lorna MacRae got her second a minute later and Lexie MacKenzie scoring on seven, eight and 10 minutes to take her tally to four goals.

 

Lorna MacRae added efforts on 17, 20 and 27 minutes with the latter coming just after Tibby MacKenzie’s 26 minute goal and ‘Shiel led 10-0 at the interval.

 

Lorna MacRae made it seven goals with strikes on 41 and 42 minutes and the goals kept coming with Katie MacRae on 46 minutes, Emily Gordon on 58 minutes, Poppy Glasgow on 58 minutes and Marie MacKenzie on 67 minutes completing the rout.

 

Dunadd never let their heads drop and this was their first loss since the pre-covid shinty season.