A former rugby player from the Isle of Mull has blasted Oban Camanachd’s shock troops into Monday’s Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup semi-final draw.
The ballot, live on BBC Alba, will not include Kinlochshiel, last year’s history makers, as the holders crashed out 1-0 at home to an Oban side who were without four key players.
David Cameron, 20, one of the replacements, fired the goal which broke Wester Ross hearts with seven minutes remaining at Balmacara.
“David gave up shinty for rugby but I had him at Lochside Rovers when he regained his appetite for our game,” said manager Gareth Evans.
“His sheer physicality makes up for any technical shortcomings, he holds the ball up well, and he gave Shiel full back Finlay MacRae a torrid time.
“David won it for us when he pulled down a long ball and turned quickly to lash the ball past their keeper.”
David Lafferty, who scored in the 2019 Camanachd Cup final defeat and had not played in the first team since, due to work commitments, was a surprise inclusion for the depleted Mossfield men.
“We needed David’s experience and he did a good job when he came on as sub,” explained Evans.
“Hopefully, he’ll now play for us regularly when his ferry duties allow.”
Innes Jackson, the 17-year-old forward drafted in from Lochside, played for an hour and did really well.
It was a remarkable sixth successive clean sheet for Oban with Daniel Cameron, Daniel Sloss, Blair MacFarlane and Craig Easton a formidable back four in front of keeper Cammy Sutherland.
“Our defence was absolutely outstanding, individually and as a unit,” said Evans, who has had a positive impact in his first season as team boss.
“Cammy Sutherland has a vivid mark on his chest from when he blocked a John MacRae shot in the closest Shiel came to scoring.
“But it was a magnificent all-round team performance in a game where I thought the standard of hitting from both teams was excellent.
“All our players put in an unbelievable level of effort and ensured we deserved to win a close contest.
“I now have a selection dilemma when our three forwards return from holiday but it’s the kind of dilemma you like to have.”
Booking their semi-final spot made the 240-mile long trip worthwhile for the Red and Blacks who have flagged up that they will play in the second semi final.
Evans said: “Before the season started, we booked the weekend of August 8, when the first semi is due, as our free weekend as six or seven lads are attending a wedding.”
Shiel manager Johnston Gill was gracious in defeat.
He said: “The better team won on the day. Oban are a very good team who worked exceptionally hard.
“We’ve got no excuses.
“We now have only the Premiership to focus on and if we lose a game then I’ll be drafting in the younger lads to give them experience for next season.”
Young continues scoring spree
Kingussie hitman Roddy Young has maintained his superb scoring streak, with his fourth successive hat trick sending the Blue and Red Hoops into the Tulloch Homes Cup semi-finals.
Skye, who knocked out Kings six years ago, were swept aside 7-0 at Portree after the shell-shocked islanders found themselves five down by the interval.
And more good news for the Mowi Premiership leaders is that teenage attacker Iain Fraser, who fractured his leg when Kings needed extra time and penalties to overcome Beauly at The Dell in the last round, looks likely to be available for the semi-final.
“Iain’s plaster is due to come off and he’s desperate to make the Scotland Under-17 team’s Irish tour,” said manager John Gibson.
“A couple of weeks’ training should have him ready and that should be in good time for our next Camanachd tie, adding to our resources at the right time.”
FT – Skye 0 Kingussie 7 (Roddy Young 5, 23, 48, Jamess Falconer 19, 33, Savio Genini 20, Ruaridh Anderson 67) – Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup #shinty
— Shinty (@camanachd) July 9, 2022
Young and James Falconer fired first half doubles with skipper Savio Genini also on target, with Young completing his latest treble three minutes into the second half, taking him to 17 goals for the campaign. Ruaridh Anderson then put the visitors in seventh heaven.
Gibson said: “Roddy’s playing wonderfully well and merits his scoring sequence.
“But I was particularly pleased that, for the first time this season, all four forwards scored.
“We didn’t see the real Skye, because we knocked the stuffing out of them with four goals in the first 20 minutes.
There were plenty of positives for us with Fraser Munro coming in at wing centre after being out for weeks with a hamstring issue. He turned in a good performance and got the full 90 minutes under his belt.
“Kieran MacPherson at half back, Liam Borthwick at full centre and Ryan Borthwick at wing back also did extremely well.”
Skye lost skipper Jordan Murchison, with a hamstring injury meaning he missed the second half.
Lovat, last year’s beaten finalists, booked their semi-final spot with a 3-0 win over Inveraray at Kiltarlity in which visiting keeper and former Under 21 internationalist Scott MacLachlan gave a remarkable display.
“I’ve never seen goalkeeping like it,” said Lovat manager Jamie Matheson.
“He was unbelievable and kept the score down.”
Lewis Tawse, who was outstanding for the home side, struck in 37 minutes but it was not until the last 13 minutes that Graeme Macmillan and Marc MacLachan clinched the Black and Whites’ passage.
Matheson said: “We never looked like losing but it was a bonus to get Martin Mainland 20 minutes on the pitch while Callum Cruden, out for two months, played 90 minutes for the second team and should be ready for the semi final.
“We don’t care who we get in the draw, anyone in the Camanachd last four is bound to be difficult.”