Shinty life goes on

It has to really, though the MacTavish still resonates from Corriemony to St Ninians which is why the “D” has had a break from the tyranny of the deadline in order to wallow in the glory of the win - something that guys everywhere else outside Badenoch and the Kyles will clearly understand.

That being the case a little self-indulgence will allow some other pics to be uploaded onto the blog for the sake of.............. well... self-indulgence!

 

 

 

 

 They come from amateur photographers – and show that the cup has gone the rounds of the local primary schools (Glenurquhart Primary and Balnain),

 

 

Smack was chosen to give out the prizes at Glen Urquhart High School at its closing ceremony which certainly beats a politician any day- and various locals have been posing with the cup- and no doubt at the local Horticultural Show in a few weeks’ time it will come out from under the thatch so it can be put to its original use as a rose-bowl.

 

 

Then it will have to go round the Highland Games… then it will go out to be filled with grog at birthday dos and weddings - there is even talk of it being pressed into service as a baptismal font for some bairn who has already been sitting in it anyway. Torquil shouldn’t worry though because the wee one was wearing a nappy. At any rate the list of possibilities goes on and on and on……...
However the Wing Centre became a little upset when he read a post in World of Shinty that someone in authority had the bright idea for a shinty exhibition at Hampden. The idea was that artefacts and trophies go on display there to inform the world at large about shinty. The WOS actually asked what trophies shinty folk would like to see on display there - certainly not the MacTavish is the Glen plea because having taken 130 years to win it and having filled up its diary for the next 12 months with community-building activities the last place Mr MacTavish’s fine bowl should go to is Hampden - and that is saying nothing about the deep ideological divisions which exist between the followers of shinty and the followers of the other sport.

Anyway it’s getting to near time for the Glen Bulletin to come out and to help the editor remember what has been happening it’s as well to note that the Glen have been on a winning streak, which now that the holidays and festival season are upon us, is bound to come to a halt. Well, it was good when it lasted.

Since Day Zero, the Glen seconds have gone 5-1 Fort William (H) 3-1 Lochcarron (H) and 5-3 Strathglass away) : the top team have gone 5-1 Shiel (H) 2-1 Kingussie (away) and 3-1 Kingussie (H). What is not to like?

Well perhaps the fact that the Kingussie fixtures were back to back which just doesn’t seem right and does not give a balance to the League structure. Of course the procedure affects other teams - obviously Kingussie but this year already Lochaber have gone back to back with Kingussie and will go back to back with the Glen too.

The games?  Fort William 2nds were short of players with Victor having to call up Duncan Rodger for first team duty and Glen were exceptionally strong though the absence of David MacFadyen meant that under 14 keeper Finlay Ralston had a game between the sticks. Michael Fraser also made a return in the red and black jersey and the goals were scored by James Macpherson (3) and Calum Miller (2). Scott Knox scored a late counter for Fort.

Against Lochcarron Glen also played well enough and Michael Fraser the former Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Motherwell and Ross County goalkeeper opened the scoring on 13 minutes. This was the only goal of the first half but Lochcarron’s Daniel MacRae levelled on 49 minutes. Michael Fraser scored again to make it 2-1 in 62 minutes while David “Dixie” MacLennan rounded off the win with a goal 10 minutes from time to make it 3-1

Last week Strathglass were the opposition and the Glenurquhart made it five league wins in a row when they beat Strathglass 5-3 at Cannich. Darren Reid scored two goals for the Glasaich with Donald Fraser getting the other. Daniel Mackintosh, who made a welcome return the previous weekend, bagged a brace for the Glen with Michael Fraser also on target – his third goal in two outings. Cairn Urquhart also scored twice.
This week’s match is an away trip to Fort William and they, despite the earlier result, are liable to be stronger that the Glen because their Camanachd Cup match is on hold and Duncan Rodger plus assorted others will be available. The Glen will have lost one or two to various festivals and Raymond Robertson picked up a nasty injury last weekend v Strath. Given the holes in the first team, the side is not likely to be stronger.
A far as the first team games are concerned the Wing Centre watched the Kinlochshiel match and does not know what to make of ‘Shiel. They were a good side with competent players who went to sleep for a three minute spell just before half time.

The Wing Centre cannot do better than quote the report which appeared on the Skye website describing that crazy spell:
“We then saw a 3 minute lapse in concentration from Kinlochshiel which cost them the match. First, the visitors missed chances to clear their lines and Neale Reid waltzed through the Red’s defence and he poked the ball through Scott Kennedy`s legs to make it 2-1 with 39 minutes played. Then, just 2 minutes later, a Ewan Brady shot from distance took a wicked bounce to beat keeper Kennedy to make it 3-1. The home side went 4-1 up from the throw up when Ewan Brady won possession and he played the ball to Fraser Heath who lost his marker and fired a great shot into the roof of the net with 42 minutes played.

‘Shiel rallied but

“Glenurquhart signed off in style though when substitute Eddie Tembo broke through the visiting defence and put the ball high into the net to make it 5-1 and round off a good team display. The final winning margin was tough on Kinlochshiel and their 3 minutes of madness at the end of the first half cost them dearly.”

That just about sums matters up- and ‘Shiel, though the Wing Centre does not know the true facts about the individual games - have gone on to play erratically ever since. One week good - one week bad.

 

Then came the two Kingussie games - they were without Lee Bain and Savio Genini for both -need one say more. Yes the Glen played well enough. In the first match the Kingussie keeper Craig Dawson had a brilliant early spell that kept the Glen out but two goals –Ewan Brady and James Macpherson* -were enough to see the Glen over the line. Craig can get roused though.

 

 

Last week’s game saw Kings up again and this time the win was 3-1. Ewan Brady put the Glen ahead on 32 minutes in the only goal of the first half. Fraser Heath fired in to make it 2-0 just 10 minutes after the restart with Neale Reid adding a third a couple of minutes later. A solo effort from Chris Hollysong pulled a goal back for Kingussie 10 minutes from time.

For the Glen, Euan Lloyd impressed with his speed and efficiency at the back while Ewan Grant caught the eye for Kingussie in his tussle with Neale Reid.

 

An unlikely star of the game was farmer John Cameron’s bull which occupied the field behind the top Druimlon end goals- and his presence was enough to deter the pack of Glen youngsters from attempting to retrieve some of the new match balls which were fired over the fence. The balls might well still be there.
Apart from that the only topic of interest was why John Barr was wearing Kingussie socks. One can only assume his Mam gave him a pair for his birthday. By the same token Kingussie’s Hutchie clearly wanted to wear Fraser Heath’s shirt because he kept pulling at it. Russ should just send him one from Shintyshop.
This week, with the Lovat replay on -     then off, the opposing team will be Lochaber. It will be a difficult afternoon especially bearing in mind a trip to Fort William with the seconds.

All the decent pics are from Sheena Lloyd.

*These scorers were wrongly named as Euan Lloyd and Neale Reid. It’s time for that to be amended on the CA website.