Skye Camanachd 0 Kingussie 1 | |
27 August 2023 The Skye Camanachd first team manager lost 1-0 in their Mowi Premiership match against Kingussie at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 26 August 2023. Sam Macphee misses out for Skye in this 3pm throw up through suspension but Seonaidh-Alex MacLeod was added to the squad and took a place on the bench. Kingussie pair Alexander Michie and Cameron Bremner missed out through injury. Rory MacKeachan was working but Fraser Munro returned to take a place on the bench. Heavy rain in Portree during the previous 24 hours left the game in some doubt but the pitch, although soft, was perfectly playable. This 3pm throw up was broadcast LIVE online and on radio on Radio Skye’s ‘Camanachd LIVE’ show. There was a minute’s silence ahead of throw up, as there was at all games over the weekend, as shinty marked the passing of legendary Kingussie figure Donnie Grant MBE. Kingussie could hardly have got off to a better start and there were less than 2 minutes played when the impressive Iain Fraser found Ruaridh Anderson in space on the left. Anderson still had plenty to do but he sent a rasping drive across keeper Murphy Henderson and into the far corner of the net to open the scoring. Skye went straight up the park from the restart and Ross Gordon’s over the shoulder flick played in Jordan Murchison in front of goal, but he missed his hit. James Pringle came in from the right to latch onto the loose ball but sent it by keeper Rory McGregor’s right post. Jordan Murchison then saw a shot from wide on the left parried by McGregor as Skye tried to get back on level terms. Kingussie started to play some nice shinty and they pushed Skye back. James Falconer seemed to be tugged back by James Morrison as he ran onto Ruaridh Anderson’s ball down the left. Falconer crossed to Iain Fraser at the back post, but Murphy Henderson was quickly off his line to save. Falconer then forced a good stop from Skye keeper Murphy Henderson before the break. Skye substitute Ally MacLeod, on at the interval, went close at the back post early in the second half, running onto James Pringles ball from the left but his strike from a tight angle went wide. Kieran Macpherson came off after suffering to a knee-knock after being caught by Ally MacLeod’s late swing, but he was able to return after treatment. Ross Gordon then sent a 22-yard effort just wide after William MacKinnon had won possession before finding Seonaidh-Alex MacLeod. Skye were enjoying their best spell of the match but Kingussie still created chances with substitute Eoin Baikie forcing a Murphy Henderson save with his foot by his left post and James Falconer sending a strike by the post from the resultant corner. Skye went back on the attack and Rory McGregor raced off his line to foil William MacKinnon who had been played in by Jordan Murchison. At the other end, Ruaridh Anderson sent the ball just over the junction between post and bar to the keeper’s right when Callum MacKintosh’s hit-in from the right wasn’t cleared. When James Falconer found Ruaridh Anderson with a ball from the left, the Kingussie play-maker went close again, this time firing by the keeper’s left post. Skye keeper Henderson saved with his feet ahead of Ruaridh Anderson and then kept out Eoin Baikie’s effort at the back post. Skye finished the contest, including 9 minutes stoppage time, on the attack but despite a couple of goalmouth scrambles, they couldn’t find an equaliser. A disappointed Skye boss Kenny MacLeod s said: “That’s twice we have run Kingussie very close, and that bit extra belief would make all the difference. “It will come though as we play more Premiership shinty. We were punished for one lapse today but that’s something we will work on.” Skye don’t have a fixture this Saturday as shinty’s focus is on the Women’s Camanachd Association Cup Finals Day at the Eilan and the Caol Cup clash between the North under-21 and the South under-21 at Mossfield. Skye Camanachd from: Murphy Henderson: John Gillies (captain), James Morrison, Martin Pringle, William MacKinnon: Kenny Cushnie, Neil MacVicar, Ross Nicolson: Ross MacKinnon, James Pringle, Jordan Murchison, Ross Gordon: subs Ali “Cleodi” Macleod, Jamie Gillies, Seonaidh-Alex MacLeod, Iain MacLellan Kingussie from: Rory McGregor: Robert Mabon, Liam Borthwick, Calum Grant, Kieran Macpherson: Callum MacKintosh, James Hutchison, George Taylor-Ramsay: Ruaridh Anderson, Iain Fraser, James Falconer (captain), Lee Bain: subs Fraser Munro, Eoin Baikie, Cameron Bremner, Savio Genini Match Referee – Steven MacLachlan Goal Judges – John Angus Gillies & Davie Anderson |