Shinty round-up: January 11

New Kilmallie boss welcomes back keeper

New Kilmallie manager Mark MacPherson welcomes keeper Shane Gillies into his squad for the 2024 season.

 

The former Scotland under-17 keeper hasn’t played for the Kilmallie senior side since 2021 but his return delights MacPherson who said: “Shane realised just how much he missed the game and playing for Kilmallie and it’s great to have him back.”

 

Shane Gillies added: “On one hand, I’ve enjoyed the break away from it all and the time I spent playing outfield for the second team.

 

“That said, I have missed being around the first team and feel this is a good time to get back at it again. I’m looking forward to it.”

 

Mark MacPherson is also looking forward to the new shinty season. He said: “I’ve been away from shinty and Kilmallie for too long.

 

“Like Shane, I watched the Balliemore Cup final at Spean Bridge at the end of last season and I saw the boys batter Lochaber in the first half.

 

"Lochaber took control in the second half and went on to win but our young guys never gave up and I thought to myself, I fancy doing this again.

 

“I had a word with my partner Natalie and we both agreed I should give it a go. I’m really excited and I want to do this job. No-one has had to persuade me or force me to do it.

 

“Johnny Morrison has left a good foundation. We have a good young team with Shane O’Rua, Seamus Macfarlane, Ben MacKinnon and Aidan Love to name a few.

 

“The National Division will be tough next season, especially with Beauly and Glasgow Mid Argyll dropping down from the Premiership, but the youngsters are so committed.

 

“We also have that bit of experience. Innes Blackhall will captain the side next season and he would walk into any Premiership team and do the business.

 

“Robbie MacFadyen is another terrific player who is so important to us as is Calum MacDougall.

 

“Some of the players know me from before but the majority don’t. I won’t put any pressure on them, but I know we’ll be competitive this season.”

 

MacPherson will be assisted on the touchline by Martin Stewart, another former manager who has played through all the levels for Kilmallie and has considerable youth and senior coaching experience.

 

Michael Rodger will also have an input.

 

MacPherson added: “Martin has been over the course before so he will be a huge help as will Michael who is unable to play due to a knee injury.”

 

Kilmallie have already arranged pre-season friendlies against Inverness and Oban Camanachd and will look to add at least one more date to their schedule.

Shinty Yearbooks digitised

The full collection of Shinty Yearbooks has been digitised in a unique collaboration between Shinty Memories Scotland, the Camanachd Association and Sporting Heritage UK.

 

The enormous task of digitising the volumes was undertaken by heritage consultant, the Highland Historian Andrew McKenzie.

 

The Shinty Yearbook was first published in 1971 and is generally held to be the single most important repository of the modern history game of shinty.

 

It is the “go-to” source for matters of record and also has a huge collection of articles about the sport – personalities, changes in the game, opinions and very specially, photographic images.

 

Details of the material’s online publication and an online talk “An intriguing web with wayward strands – the foundations of the Shinty Yearbooks,” will be released in due course.