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Shinty: Oban Camanachd manager Gareth Evans details reasons for departure

Oban Camanachd's now ex-boss Evans - 'I had a feeling around halfway through the season that this might be my final year'.

Oban Camanachd manager Gareth Evans is off. Image: Neil G Paterson.
Oban Camanachd manager Gareth Evans is off. Image: Neil G Paterson.

Oban Camanachd became the third Mowi Premiership club this close season to begin the search for a new manager – with Gareth Evans confirming he has stepped down after three years in the role.

With Kyles Athletic and Newtonmore also seeking new management teams, the Oban side hope to make an appointment by mid-December.

While they didn’t hit the heights of the previous campaign’s Artemis Macaulay Cup success and Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup final appearance, Oban Camanachd retained the Scottish Sea Farms Glasgow Celtic Society Challenge Cup and they finished fourth in the Mowi Premiership, just a point behind runners-up Caberfeidh.

They also reached the Macaulay final once more, but this time lost out to Kingussie, while they were beaten by Lovat in the Camanachd Cup semi-finals.

Gareth Evans is content he has come to the correct decision, saying: “The time is right for a change. I’ve had three seasons in the Oban Camanachd manager’s role and five seasons managing Lochside Rovers directly before that.

“Iain ‘Scally’ MacMillan has been my assistant manager throughout and I want to put on record my thanks to him – I couldn’t have done it without him.

“I’ve worked with some of the same players throughout the eight-year period so it’s time for someone new to come in and for the players to hear a different voice with some new ideas.

“I had a feeling around halfway through the season that this might be my final year. We tailed off a bit this year and I have to look at myself for that, too.

“I might regret it when the new season comes around, but I don’t think so.”

Evans came into the role on the back of a successful spell with Rovers, Oban Camanachd’s reserve team.

He said: “I really enjoyed being in charge at Lochside and it gave me a good grounding for the senior job.”

Evans points to Macaulay Cup win as highlight – as he looks to stay involved with Oban

The Oban Camanachd team celebrate lifting the 2023 Artemis MacAulay Cup. Image: Neil G Paterson.

Oban’s Macaulay win in 2023 was the club’s first in the competition since 1995, and Evans said: “The highlight was winning the Macaulay. It was nice to bring a national trophy back to the town and that was our main aim when myself and ‘Scally’ took over the side.

“We were brilliant that season and my regret is that we didn’t win the Scottish, as we should have beaten Kingussie in the final. To lose to a late goal was a sore one and it will remain a sore one for many years to come.

Kingussie v Oban Camanachd in the 2023 Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup Final, played at The Bught, Inverness, Image: Neil G Paterson.

“This year was more difficult. We lost key defender Scott Mckillop through injury during the season, Scottish international Blair MacFarlane missed the whole season playing rugby and Lewis Cameron was another injury victim.

“That’s our defence, midfield and attack all weakened, and I needed my best players to compete with Kingussie and the standard they’ve set.”

As for the future, Evans added: “I’d like to stay involved in some capacity. We have our annual general meeting on December 6 and I’m sure they will find a role for me.

“I’ve had an association of 35-plus years with the club, so I’ll look to stay on the committee in some capacity.

Alba win Gaelic shinty-hurling clash

Meanwhile, Alba were 24-11 winners in the Iomain Cholmcille match with Ireland’s representatives Fir Uladh at Shawbost.

It was the first Gaelic shinty-hurling international to take place in the Outer Hebrides, and Alba’s prowess in front of goal decided the contest with Paul Duke from Camanachd Leodhais grabbing a hat-trick, Glasgow Mid Argyll’s Conal MacDiarmaid bagging a double and Skye pair Martin Pringle and Ross MacKinnon getting the others.

Alba manager Sean MacLeod said: “It was an epic spectacle, especially for those of us playing on home soil.

“Bringing Iomain Cholmcille to Lewis was a massive undertaking, but it was all worth it, and a fine victory where we weathered the storms and took our chances at the right times.

“Winning was the icing on the cake.”

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