South Shinty Round-up - All the weekend's results and reaction

It was confirmed ahead of the game that Oban Camanachd’s Evan MacLellan faces a spell on the side lines after suffering a small break to his cheekbone in the game against Skye. 

 

Beauly’s Ryan MacKay remained out through suspension, whilst Jack MacDonald was also missing.

 

Oban Camanachd could hardly have got off to a better start as Ross Macmillan finished smartly following a well-worked move to give the visitors a second minute lead.

 

It got better on nine minutes as Macmillan got his second, a superb half-volley into the roof of the net which left keeper Lee Dunbar helpless. 

 

Ross Macmillan and Scott MacMillan were linking up to great effect in the full forward positions and it was Scott MacMillan who made it 3-0 on 54 minutes with a ball from distance that deceived the keeper as it trundled into the corner of the net off the firm surface. 

 

Perhaps the comfort of the three-goal cushion led the visitors to drop their pace, allowing substitute Farquhar MacRae to take advantage and he made it 3-1 on 74 minutes. 

 

Beauly went on to enjoy their best spell in the game and MacRae grabbed his second on 86 minutes to set up a nervy finish.

 

Oban Camanachd saw the game out though, adding two more points to their league count. 

 

Alexander MacDonald was terrific on the wing for Oban Camanachd. However, with Malcolm Clark and Evan MacLellan already sidelined, the team’s injury jinx struck again with Scott Campbell, after half an hour, and Daniel MacCuish, near the end, having to come off with hand injuries. 

 

Oban Camanachd assistant manager Iain MacMillan spoke shortly after the final whistle, saying: “We’re delighted to get another win. We started off brilliantly with Ross Macmillan and Scott MacMillan linking up really well up top. We pretty much controlled the first half and went into the break two goals ahead. We wanted to again at half-time and Scott got us a third with what was really a ball forward that ended up in the net. 

 

“Sometimes when you are ahead like that, you switch off a bit and Beauly pulled a goal back at the right time for them and they finished strongly. Their centre line got grip of the game and they scored again near the end but we saw it out.  

 

“We don’t usually single out players as it’s all about the team performance, but young Alexander MacDonald, who came back into the team and played on the wing, was phenomenal. He was easily the best player on the park by a fair bit. 

 

“Losing both Scott Campbell and Daniel MacCuish is a worry though and typical of how our luck has been this season injury-wise, but we are dealing with it and still winning games.”

 

Oban Camanachd, sponsored by TSL Contractors, play Fort William in the Mowi Premiership at Mossfield next Saturday, whilst Beauly have a W M Donald MacTavish Cup first round tie at holders Kingussie.

 

Skipper Daniel MacVicar misses the game as his booking against Skye triggered a one-match suspension. Scott Campbell and Daniel MacCuish will have their hand injuries assessed.

 

Kyles Athletic 1 Kinlochshiel 0

 

Kyles Athletic won for the first time this season when James Pringle’s late goal sealed a 1-0 victory over Kinlochshiel in their 1.30pm throw up at The Playing Field, Tighnabruaich.

 

Kyles Athletic’s Roddy Macdonald returned after missing the last two games, whilst Kinlochshiel’s Finlay MacRae was also back, but Donald Nixon and Mark MacDonald were missing.

 

The winning goal came on 78 minutes when, following a goalmouth scramble, the ball came to James Pringle who spread play wide to Scott Macdonald. Macdonald then played a clever reverse pass that sent James Pringle one-on-one with keeper Josh Grant and, to the delight of the home support, Pringle slipped the ball by the onrushing goalie.

 

Kyles manager Grant Profit said: “That was a really hard-fought game. ‘Shiel made it difficult in the first half, but we got a grip of things and took control in the second half.

 

“Everyone played their role. We just needed that goal and James obliged. 

 

“It’s great to get off the mark but I’m gutted we now have a free week, but we’ll work hard over the next fortnight to make sure we get a run of form going.”

 

Mowi National Division

 

Lochaber 3 Inveraray 2

 

Mowi National Division leaders Lochaber came out on top, winning 2-0 against Inveraray at Spean Bridge. 

 

Lochaber were injury-hit again, whilst Inveraray missed the suspended Allan MacDonald. 

 

Ahead of throw up, Inverary handed over a donation to Lochaber’s Max Campbell for his dad Lachlan Campbell’s MND campaign, with referee Jamie MacPherson also generously donating his match fee. 

 

Inveraray led on 16 minutes courtesy of substitute Alexander McKinlay’s composed finish, before Stuart Callison on 28 minutes and Conor Sweeney just three minutes after turned the game Lochaber’s way. 

 

Fraser Watt made it 2-2 from a tight angle on 36 minutes and it remained level until the break. 

 

Lochaber veteran Shaun Nicolson grabbed what proved to be the winner a minute after the hour.

 

Lochaber manager Ally Ferguson said: “It was a closely fought game. We’ve had five to seven players missing from our squad for a variety of reasons over the last two weeks and it shows to be fair. But we did well to grind out the result to get the two points against Inveraray and that’s what matters.

 

“We introduced 16-year-old Ross Loughry, and he came on and did well, whilst Gregor Cameron was the referee’s choice as man of the match. Max Campbell was a stand-out in defence for us.

 

“We get a break this weekend which will help with the lads who are carrying injuries.” 

Glasgow Mid Argyll 0 Col Glen 2 

 

Col Glen’s clash with Glasgow Mid Argyll was reversed from Glendaruel to Peterson Park with a noon throw up. 

 

GMA’s Sam Burnett suffered a broken collarbone against Kilmallie the previous weekend and the ex-Glenurquhart player faces a spell on the sidelines. 

 

The venue switch didn’t deter Col Glen who led through Auryn Kerr’s goal on 27 minutes, with Sam Bulloch adding a second on 40 minutes for an impressive 2-0 triumph that takes them to second in the table. 

 

Kilmallie 1 Bute 2

 

Dean Robertson scored 10 minutes from time to give Bute a 2-1 win over Kilmallie at The Canal Parks.

 

Kilmallie’s Innes Blackhall was free of his four-match ban.

 

Bute got off to a great start and Josh Cowan put them ahead in the opening minute but Shane O’Rua levelled straight from the restart. 

 

Dean Robertson’s 80-minute winner sends Bute third in the table.

 

Mowi South Division 1

 

Oban Celtic 6 Glasgow Mid Argyll 2 

 

Oban Celtic remain out in front in Mowi South Division 1 after winning 6-2 against the Glasgow Mid Argyll juniors at Peterson Park.

 

GMA took the lead through Ross Brown after just five minutes, but Scott Dempster on 18 minutes and Jamie MacFarlane’s brilliant strike from distance on 32 minutes had Celtic in the lead.

 

The visitors knew they were in a game when Ross Brown got his second on 34 minutes to make it 2-2, but a quick-fire double from William MacEwan on 40 minutes and Kyle MacFarlane’s customary goal a couple of minutes later gave Oban Celtic a 4-2 interval advantage. 

 

Although the scoring eased in the second half, Oban Celtic were able to extend their lead through goals from Gabriel Tidser on 64 minutes and Lennon Campbell on 81 minutes.

 

Looking back on a good afternoon’s work, Oban Celtic’s Cammy Mccallum said: “It took us a wee while to get into our stride in the first half but we eventually we got going and ran out deserved winners in the end.

“It was good to see six different goal scorers too, which shows we have options up there. The pick of the bunch for me was Jamie MacFarlane’s 40 yarder from the wing into the top corner of the net.

“I must also give credit to a very young Glasgow side, who battled away until the end of the game, and special mention must go to veteran ex-Oban man Mark Bain who was in the GMA goals and who made many fine saves.

“All in all, it was a pleasing afternoon in Glasgow.”

 

Oban Celtic host Aberdour in the league on Saturday.

  

Lochside Rovers 2 Kilmory 1

 

Logie Johnstone scored just three minutes from time as Lochside Rovers beat Kilmory 2-1 at Mossfield.

 

Lochside’s Craig Easton was with the seniors, whilst Jamie Anderson was unavailable.

 

The Oban side lost Ruaraidh Buchanan through injury after just eight minutes and he was replaced by young Daniel Duffy. 

 

Fifteen-year-old Fraser MacMillan started for Lochside, and he put his side into the lead on 19 minutes, but they couldn’t get the second goal they craved.   

 

Kian Crawford drew Kilmory level on 48 minutes and that’s the way it stayed until three minutes from time when Lochside Rovers scored following the move of the game involving all four of their forwards. Lewis Buchanan brought the ball down and flicked it to substitute Innes MacKay. MacKay played in Daniel Duffy who turned his marker and touched the ball back to Lewis Buchanan, who he spotted space for Logie Johnstone to run into and Johnstone leathered the ball home to make it 2-1.

 

Arran Robertson was sent off by referee Craig Scott just a minute later following an off-the-ball incident on Stuart Robertson.

 

Lochside assistant manager Duncan MacMillan looked back on the victory, saying: “We thought it would be a tough game, and it was. That said, it was probably the best game we could have got after the Oban Celtic defeat. 

 

“Young Fraser MacMillan got us off to a great start and we probably should have been two or three goals up by half-time but we didn’t take our chances. 

 

“We said at the interval that we wanted the next goal but then they scored just three minutes after the restart to level the game.

 

“The winning goal was wonderful, but we still had to rely on our keeper Ross MacKay, who made a good save with his feet at 2-1.”

 

Lochside continue in league action this weekend as they play the Glasgow Mid Argyll second team at Peterson Park. Duncan MacMillan added: “We’ll need to check on the injuries to Jordan Kerr (broken nose) and Stuart Robertson, but we won’t have any concerns about adding a couple of youngsters to the squad if it comes to that.

 

“We are going through a spell of three tough games at the moment, with GMA next and we have a couple of weeks off after that.”

 

Aberdour 7 Ardnamurchan 1

 

Aberdour go third after beating Ardnamurchan 7-1 in their 1pm throw up at Silversands.

 

Aberdour took the chance to take the lead when referee Aly Paterson awarded them a seven-minute penalty and Angus Thorburn scored from the spot. 

 

David MacKenzie doubled their advantage a couple of minutes after and Ruairidh Drake Reid on 15 minutes, a Michael Doherty own goal two minutes later, with a second from David MacKenzie on 33 minutes making it 5-0 at the break.  

 

David Murray added a sixth on 62 minutes, and although Herbie Patterson gave Ard’ some consolation on 72 minutes, Ciaran Burns rounded off the 7-1 victory on 78 minutes.