New Season- Old Challenges

All this happened-more or less. Of course, these games are not real life: that starts with the MacDonald Cup. Let’s hope it doesn’t stop there also.

The first encounter of the season was a 0-0 against Fort William at home - and it’s fair to say that our early rustiness could have told against us except that they were rusty too. I’m never really certain at my stage in life whether we ought to feel highly competitive in these games or not. I suppose it comes down to the fact if we take the lead then despite common sense – I want us desperately to win. If we go behind, we tend to say it’s only a friendly after all.

 Of course, against Fort William, a friendly match is a contradiction in terms - an oxymoron if you can remember the figure of speech from Mr McKell’s English Class- which of course you can’t. Whatever !!-  there were times when Referee MacPherson had his work cut out : I’m not sure but I think big Finlay got a row and I did see Scotty MacNeill rushing on to the field a couple of times and Mr Macdonald too but they are decent guys -passionate about the game and they swept out the dressing room afterwards which is not the state the Lochabermen left the dressing room in when they last came up here 300 years ago to steal cattle, so things are definitely moving in the right direction.

One particularly positive thing about the afternoon was that the Glen defence Lachie Smith, Tom Edwards, Sean Brown and Ali Maclean put in solid performances and managed to keep Fort from scoring although to be fair keeper Stuart Mackintosh played his part too. Disappointingly, though the Glen forwards were lively and mobile they could not find a way past Fort custodian Paul Mackay. On the plus side, Charlie Macleod performed well and Oliver Black in the centreline put in a good shift - and on the whole it was a good afternoon’s work.

On the same afternoon Farr Farr away from the warm side of the Loch, the Glen second team had a contest against Boleskine which Garry Marshall’s Glen side won 5-1. Though the youngsters were a little rusty all round and the pitch wasn’t in great shape it was actually was a good work out. Goals came from Glenn MacDonald, Brad Sneddon and John Barr who all hit singles while Mike Fraser fired home a brace. Most of the action took place in the first half with the Glen leading  4-0 at halftime and though there were a few chances missed after the break, the quieter part of the afternoon allowed Liam Patience, Abriachan’s Hugh Burnett and Chris Edwards to get their 2nd team debuts as subs and all performed well. So positives all round for the first games of the season.

The second friendly was against Kinlochshiel- and again this was a close fought game though ‘Shiel were a few bodies short. Despite this they edged the game 2-1 with goals from John Macrae and Jordan Fraser while Andrew Corrigan replied for the Glen.

Which is all I really know, since I spent the afternoon listening to Hugh Dan talking about Donald Mackay’s photographic journey through the ‘70s, ’80s and ‘90s. 

Donald of course had a strong Glen connection and there was a nice Glen turnout at the talk though some of us would perhaps have preferred to have been back in Drum at the ‘Shiel game. Why was it so early- It surely couldn’t have been the international rugby: but no-the shade of rugby-mad Charlie Smith has long gone from Plockton High School so the explanation must be that the ‘Shiel WAGs were hoping to have an afternoon shopping in M & S or wherever such ladies go nowadays.

However there was one bonus- “that” picture the Sports Pic of the Year (1978 Camanachd Cup Final-“Eyes on the Ball”) was unveiled as an oil painting created by Ballachulish player Dougie Rankine. What can you say?  Big John would be the first to say he was no oil-painting. Turns out he was wrong – and now he will be one forever.

Anyway, back to Blairbeg where there was a positive performance and attitude against Kinlochshiel though manager Iain Macleod felt disappointed in the result. What made that a little bit hard to take was that after ‘Shiel had lost a couple of players to injury they asked to borrow a sub. Glen gave them John Barr who can truly be said to be a Glen legend. Now it appears he’s well on the way to being a Shiel legend because he had a stormer and probably won the visitors the midfield battle.

Glen have not quite clicked up front yet but certainly created more chances compared to the Fort William game due to better distribution from midfield. Though no goals were produced both Daniel Maclean and Alfie Macleod hit the woodwork.
One disappointment is having to drop Ali Maclean back to defence but with Fergus on the sidelines for the opening few games there is no alternative at the moment and actually the back lines as structured have become a good solid unit that is hard to break down.

Other players who performed particularly strongly were Sean Brown who was superb in defence (See Charlene Macleod’s pictures), Liam Robertson who provided the side with energy, great hitting and fine shies in the middle of the park and the aforementioned youngster Alfie Macleod, who gave a tough match to ‘Shiel’s Donald Nixon which was no mean feat. 

 Donald is one of the best players in shinty and a Scotland international as well. Given that he is married to a girl from the Glen and his Mum is from Drum, it’s time he was coming home in a shinty sense as well. The transfer forms are here on Balmacaan Road - all it needs is a wee signature.  He’s halfway there already of course because no matter how much Cork wants to claim the goal, it was clearly Donald who glanced it past big Josh. He’s chalked up his first goal for the Glen already without even signing for us. Perhaps I should just pop the papers down the road to his mother-in-law’s mother.

Next we face up to the Glasaich in the Macdonald Cup and hopefully the Glen are on track to get back to where we once belonged, whisper it “The Premiership”– and with Gavin Heath, Steven Henderson and Fraser Heath in the backroom team then ….who knows?

Thanks to Charlene Macleod for the photos of the players and to The Camanachd Association (Jenna Calder, Inverness) for the pictures taken at Hugh Dan's event.