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Shinty history as UHI humble Strathclyde
SATURDAY witnessed a piece of Shinty history, when the newly formed team for the University of the Highlands and Islands, UHI Camanachd, managed to humble the team which has dominated university Shinty in recent years, Strathclyde University.
The result won't surprise followers of the game, however. The university team allows players from national league clubs to compete in the varsity league, by virtue of their student or lecturer status. UHI's line-up was a veritable 'Who's who'.
Which National First or Premier Division team would turn away any of the following: Barry Dallas (Kingussie), Addie Robertson (Fort William), Lee Bain (Strathglass), Ali Mackintosh (Glenurquhart), James MacPherson (Lovat), David MacLean (Beauly), or Zander Grant (Kinlochshiel), to name but a few.
A tear shouldn't be shed for Strathclyde, however. With ranks including Alan Palmer and Grant Irvine, this was never going to be an easy game.
In spite of the heroic efforts of the Bught ground staff, conditions underfoot were slippy. Things got worse as the surface cut up.
Unrelenting pressure from UHI saw them go ahead, when Lee Bain slotted home a neat strike. There was no taking the foot off the pedal, from the North men, and only some spectacular saves from the Strathclyde keeper kept the score below 6-0, in the first half. Before the first half whistle, Josh McGhee nipped in another.
UHI started strongly in the second half, with only more inspired goalkeeping stopping the score heading skyward.
Strathclyde weren't finished by any means, though. Grant Irvine had been given a major role in this play and had memorised his lines well, displaying a level of energy, matched with skill and determination, that would have made Duracell bunny perspire. With 20 minutes to go, he zeroed-in on Jamie Matheson, in the UHI nets, and let rip from 40 yards. Matheson got a hand to it, but the force deflected the ball up into the net.
Things were getting hot. The renewed effort couldn't do it for the visitors. It was all UHI hands to the pumps. It paid off. Some stuffy Highland defending held the Glasgow men at bay.
With the virtually undefeated Strathclyde dealt with, the door seems open for UHI to take not only the varsity league but the Blue Riband of university Shinty trophies, the coveted Littlejohn Vase.
Contributed RM
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Weather for Stornoway
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: North east
