The Mowi Premiership season starts this Saturday and with a full card of mouth-watering fixtures to look ahead to, shinty is set to be back with a bang. The champions, Kingussie play host to Kinlochshiel and that is our Mowi Game of the Week. We caught up with new Kinlochshiel Captain, Conor Cormack to preview the big game.

Conor, the new season is now just days away, how are you and the boys feeling ahead of the 2024 campaign?

Everyone is eager to get going, pre season has been good for us and the boys are ready to get stuck into it

A tough start to the season away to the champions, what kind of game area you expecting?

Kingussie away has got to be viewed as the toughest fixture on the calendar so we’ll show them the respect they deserve – they will be mobile and play at a fast pace. But our games have been very close lately so we’re feeling confident in ourselves and know that we can create chances, we just have to be clinical when those chances arise.

You’ve taken over the mantle as Captain for this season, how did you feel when you got told and what will it feel like to lead the team come Saturday?

When Willie asked me I felt a bit surprised to be honest. We have leaders in all areas of the line up and any one of those senior players could have been selected to captain the side. I’m honoured to lead the team out and having those guys lead in other areas of the pitch makes it a much easier job for me to do.

8-0 against Glenurquhart and a 4-3 win at Beauly, how prepared do you feel going into the season, do things seem to be clicking?

Glen were missing a few key players that day so we can’t take too much from that result but our forwards had some good play which was encouraging. It was a bit more of a physical game against Beauly and we took the chance to try a few things out so I was pretty happy to come away 4 goals all from a different scorer.

Finally, a blank canvas ahead of the club as we approach opening day of the season, what are the overall goals for Kinlochshiel this year?

We are firstly looking to find that consistency which saw us lifting trophies a few years ago and we’ll build from there. There’s a number of young players breaking into the squad this year and our focus will be on getting these lads up to speed and hopefully coach them towards fulfilling their potential in the Mowi Premiership. If we can maintain our squad’s fitness and get a run of form, I think that silverware is well within our reach.

Camanachd Association

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8 October 2024

A spectacular Mòd Shinty Saturday in prospect

by Camanachd Association

8 October 2024

Cromag Ceann-Feadhna Camanachd a’ Mhòid ga toirt dhan “Shinty Referee” Thèid an t-urram Ceann Feadhna Camanachd a’ Mhòid a bhuileachadh air Eanruig MacAonghais, a bhuineas do Phort nan Long san Eilean Sgitheanach, ach tha an diugh a’ fuireach ann an Steòrnabhagh, aig a’ Mhòd Rìoghail Nàiseanta san Òban Disathairne seo tighinn. Thòisich Eanruig le fìdeag an reiteire nuair a bha e ag obair air tìr-mòr agus a sguir e a chluich còmhla ri balaich Inbhir Nis. Lean e air an uairsin am meadhan na pàirce na reitire aig grunn de chuairtean deireannach Chomann na Camanachd, leithid Cupa MhicTàbhais Cupa an t-Sutharlamaich agus cupa Bhanca na h-Alba air latha mor na camanachd. Bha e cuideachd na bhritheamh-tadhail aig a’ chuairt dheireannaich fhèin co-dhiù dà thuras. Tha e cuideachd air a bhith na reitire aig geamaichean camanachd a’ Mhòid ann an leithid Phortrigh, Steòrnabhagh, Mòdan Chataibh agus Gallaibh, agus ann am Peairt. Leig Eanruig dheth a dhreuchd mar reiteire tri bliadhna air ais le gèam eadar Camanachd Leòdhais agus Srathghlais, 45 bliadhna an deidh a’ chiad ghèam a rinn e eadar Lochcaran agus Srathghlais. Ged a tha Eanruig ainmeil na reiteire agus aininichte air feadh choimhearsnachd na camanachd (agus air rèidio agus Tbh), thàinig e gu aire an -t-saoghail nuair a chlàraich Fergie Dòmhnallach nach maireann an ceòl agus an uairsin òran “The Shinty Referee”. Bha sin aig àireamh a h-aon air clàr i-Tunes ceòl an t-saoghail agus air a chluich air feadh an t-saoghail. Chaidh am pòrt a dhèanamh an toiseach aig Fèis Cheilteach ann an Trá Lí, agus thàinig an t-òran bho làimh Fhergie an dèidh sin. Chaidh a’ chiad chromag son urram a Chinn Feadhna a thoirt do dh’Ùisdean MacIllInnein aig Mòd Phàislig an uiridh agus bidh esan an làthair aig Pàirc Mhossfield anns an Òban aig geamaichean camanachd na bliadhna seo aig a’ Mhòd, Disathairne seo tighinn son a toirt do dh’Eanruig. Thuirt Ùisdean : “Bha e na urram dha-rìreabh dhomh fhèin nuair fhuair mi a’ chromag an-uiridh air a’ bhliadhna a bha mi a’ sgur a dh’obair mar chraoladair. Tha mi air leth toilichte gum bidh cromag a nis aig Eanruig, ged nach eil feum aige air buileach fhathast. Tha e gu math iomchaidh gur esan a tha tighinn as mo dhèidh agus e cho dealasach a’ frithealadh nam Mòd agus geamaichean camanachd fad is farsainn.” Chaidh a’ chromag a dhèanamh le Roddie MacIllInnein ann an Inbhirnis a tha nis ainmeil airson a bhith a’ cruthachadh chamain agus duaisean fiodha. Cha a mhaoineachadh leis a’ bhuidhinn Camanachd na Cuimhna (Shinty Memories Scotland). Mòd Shinty Chieftain’s “Cromag” goes to “The Shinty Referee” The honour of National Mòd Shinty Chieftain will be bestowed upon Henry MacInnes, who belongs to Portnalong, Skye but now lives in Stornoway, at the Royal National Mòd in Oban this coming Saturday. Henry first blew his referee’s whistle when working on the mainland when he rrtired from playing iwth Inverness. He would go on to officiate at several major finals, including the MacTavish Cup, the Sutherland Cup and the Bank of Scotland Cup on Camanachd Cup Final day, as well as being a goal judge at the final itself on occasion. He has also been a referee for several Mòd Cup Finals in Portree, Stornoway, Shawbost, Uist, Caithness, Sutherland and finally in Perth. The Mòd Cup Final in Perth was his final performance, one last game after retiring two years ago with a game between Camanachd Leòdhais and Strathglass almost 45 years to the day since his first game between Lochcarron and Strathglass. Although Henry is famous as a referee and well known amongst the shinty community (and on TV and radio) he came to the attention of the world when the late Fergie Macdonald recorded the tune, and then the song, “The Shinty Referee”. It reached number one on iTunes World Music Chart and was played throughout the world. The tune was first wirtten at the Pan-celtic Festival in Tralee, and then Fergie wrote the song years later. The role of Mòd Shinty Chieftain and the ceremonial cromag or crook was first rangte to Hugh Dan MacLennan at the Paisley Mòd last year, and he will be in attendance at Mossfield Stadium in Oban this Saturday to present this year’s cromag to Henry. Hugh Dan said : “It was truly a great personal honour to receive the cromag last year when I was retiring from broadcasting. I am delighted to present this croamg to Henry, even though he doesn’t need it quite yet. It is very fitting person to succeed me as he has been so passionate in attending the Mòd and shinty matches across the country.” The cromag has been crafted by Roddie MacLennan of Inverness, a renowned artisan who specialises in ceremonial camans and wooden prizes. It has been funded by Shinty Memories Scotland

by Camanachd Association

7 October 2024

Glasgow Mid Argyll Crowned Mowi WCA South 2 Champions After Playoff Victory

by Camanachd Association