The Great
Glen Shinty Sixes (Article by Mr.Sinclair)
The Nicolson
Institute under 16 Shinty team took part for the first time in The Great Glen
Shinty Sixes at Drumnadrochit.
Ten teams
from various schools in the Highlands took part and they formed two leagues of five
teams with the top two teams going on to contest for a place in the final.
The Nicolson
took on Kilchuimen High School from Fort Augustus first. They were putting some
good moves together but were hit by two late goals and went down 2-0. Their
second match was against Kingussie A who were to eventually win third place in
the tournament.Kings played some fine shinty and The Nicolson’s defence was no
match for them as they succumbed 7-0 .
Coach Iain “Diablo” Sinclair then regaled the
team with one of his inspirational team talks urging his troops to show the
true potential he knew they had.
Radical line
up changes saw Anil Thapa in goals and Anna MacRae and Scott MacLeod took on
defensive duties.Ronan Sinclair went to Full Centre and Captain Ruaraidh MacMillan
went up front with Steven Morrison who interchanged with substitute Aidan
Millar.
Next
opponents were Glenurquhart B who promptly took a 2 goal lead. However as the
famous Lewis Camanachd Shinty song goes,"Things began to changy Oh…” and
The Nicolson team began to gel. Coach Sinclair urged Scott MacLeod to carry the
ball upfield and he launched a screamer from the halfway which nearly burst the
net. Minutes later Ruaraidh Macmillan finished off a nice move involving Scott
MacLeod and Ronan Sinclair to equalise the scores.
The Nicolson
had achieved their first points at the tournament.
Coaches Sinclair
and Nally urged the players to keep up their good form and go home with a win.
They promptly obliged with a fine performance against Charleston High A from
Inverness.
The defence
of Thapa, MacRae and MacLeod stood solid and Scott MacLeod’s fine bye hits
provided the forwards with plenty ball. Ruaraidh MacMillan’s clinical finishing
gave the Nicolson a well deserved 2-0 victory. Aidan Millar and Ronan Sinclair
were unlucky not to add to the total.
The
Nicolson finished 3rd. in
their group of 5 teams a great performance for a first outing at the tournament
which was celebrating it’s twentieth anniversary.
In the final
a strong Lochaber High team won the final against Glenurquhart A 1-0 after
extra time. Kingussie A were third with Kilchuimen High taking fourth spot in
the 3rd and 4th place play off.
Thanks must go also to Lewis Camanachd player
Connor Chalmers’ mum Melissa for accompanying the group, taking photos and
helping on the sidelines.
Taing
Melissa. The squad was:
Anil Thapa, Scott
MacLeod, Anna MacRae, Ronan Sinclair ,Ruaraidh MacMillan(Captain), Steven
Morrison and Aidan Millar.
