Disappointing Day at Blairbeg for Henderson the Strain King

Glenurquhart 3 Caberfeidh 3+

Have to say that Hendo had a hard job getting a squad together for this match and in the end he put a side out that did OK considering Cabers were able to bring some senior players along for the afternoon. Not that Cabers planned it that way-they had a friendly postponed and merely took along some extra guys for an afternoon safari in Monsterland. Most importantly they took along Archie the Goalie and he always makes a difference.
So Hendo was most certainly under strain getting a side together and for the second time in two weeks as well-if reports are correct last week’s 2-2 with Boleskine was also accomplished with a depleted squad. Not to worry-you play with that you’ve got – and so far as the Wing Centre could judge Hendo unearthed a fair bit of child talent in the village. The young boys all played well and tried hard- indeed not since they stopped putting kids up chimneys have so many youngsters worked so hard for so little reward.
The start was promising however. In 5 minutes Ross MacAulay got on to the ball out on the right and fired a hard low shot on target that managed to elude the attentions of the Cabers goalie and put the Glen one up. For the next spell the match was bitty but evenly contested with the Glen youngsters James Hurwood and Sam Maclean playing sensible shinty while they were still fresh. Both got to the ball first and moved it on without giving their opponents a chance to tie them up in tiring tackles.
In 20 minutes Daniel Mackintosh –the only one of last year’s crop of youngsters on the field- got the ball under control, zipped past two defenders but his shot flew wide of the post. Five minutes later the same thing happened- and it was encouraging for the Glen support that he was able to get on to the ball and go clear of the defence.
Cabers Mark Macdonald then levelled the scoring with a fine drive and his team mate Ian Macdonald put Cabers ahead after he pounced on a rebound from Glen keeper Gary Mackintosh who had done well to save the first attempt.
Glen managed an equaliser just before the halftime break when teenager Rory Maclean picked up the ball on the left, rode a heavy Cabers challenge before squeezing the ball inside to Mackintosh who hammered home an unstoppable shot. There were 44 minutes on the clock and the evidence was at this stage that Glen were well in with a shout of getting a result from the match.
The second half was different.
Scott Maclennan scored two goals –one after about 15 minutes sneaked in at the post while the other could be regarded as well worked. Then a long ball from Martin Macdonald increased the difference but Billy Urquhart then bagged one back for the Glen. Fort a short spell with Ian Macleod and Bradley Dickson putting in determined shift, things began to stabilise and young Lachlan Smith at left wing back soon showed that he too could play sensibly at second team level.
It was however too hard for the kids to keep hanging on and with young legs looking tired and heavy in the last ten minutes, Arran Ross fired a ball into the roof of the Glen net and then five minutes before the end veteran Alan Ross finding himself in space just outside the D caught the ball correctly and blasted home the final goal of the day. A nice goal indeed but from a Glen point of view-at the wrong end. Oh dear! What a pity! Never mind.
And we certainly don’t mind about the Skye game- a 4-2 for the homesteaders with Glen goals from Ruaraidh Cameron and Ally Mackintosh – and the absence of Stuart Mackintosh, Eddie Tembo and Davie Girvan. Glen provided a good first half display followed by a weak second half with errors which allowed Skye to score goals they should not have been allowed. The Sgiathanachs indicated that we were sporting in defeat-not a habit the Wing Centre would like to encourage!!
Just as well the Primary 5 boys made it to the final of the First Shinty Festival in Fort William on Saturday. They actually beat two Skye sides (south Skye and Portree) and Kingussie. On the same afternoon! Now that’s a habit to get used to.
The photo is of Rory Maclean at the end of Saturday’s encounter: he carries his caman in the same manner as his Maclean forebears carried their claymores.In the background Ross MacAulay and Lachlan Smith.



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