Memory Lane - 2000 / 2001 Shinty Season Part 7/20
As Skye Camanachd look forward to their first season in shinty's top division since 2002, let's look back to the 2000 / 01 season, Skye's first year in the national top tier.
The Islanders only spell in the National Premier Division came when they won promotion from the National League Division 1 after a final-day win over Lochcarron at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree at the end of the 1999 / 2000 season. Skye joined Fort William, Glenorchy, Kilmallie, Kingussie, Kyles Athletic Newtonmore and Oban Camanachd in an eight team top flight in hope of winning the championship but with a definite aim of avoiding finishing bottom of the table which would mean relegation.
Skye returned to league action as they played Kingussie for the second successive Saturday, this time at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree.
Marine Harvest National Premier Division
Skye Camanachd 3 Kingussie 7
Skye turned in a much better showing against Kingussie at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree compared to the heavy Tulloch MacTavish Cup defeat at the Dell a week earlier.
However it was still the reigning champions who took the points thanks to a devastating first half performance.
Kingussie took the lead following a set-piece. Ally Dallas played the ball into the Skye goal area and although home defender Willie MacRae got a stick to the ball, it dropped perfectly for Ally Borthwick who lashed a shot into the net to make it 1-0.
The Kings took control of the game with two more goals. First Kevin Thain set up Ronald Ross to double the visitors' advantage and then Ally Dallas added his name to the scoresheet to make it 3-0.
Two goals in two minutes; first from John Gibson and then a second from Ronald Ross, who gave Skye full back Ewen "Yogi" MacSween a torrid time, made it 5-0 at the break and Skye must have feared another thumping. Indeed it could have been worse for the Islanders as Kingussie also had two goals ruled out.
A 25 yard Kevin Thain drive made it 6-0 on 51 minutes.
Skye responded and they racked up the up the next three goals of the game to add more credibility to the final score.
Persistence from Somhairle MacDonald paid off on 66 minutes when he saw an initial strike blocked, the rebound was cleared off the line before MacDonald eventually forced the ball home for Skye's first score.
Then Ewen "Crossal" MacKinnon beat Kingussie keeper Iain Anderson with a 40 yard drive to make it 6-2.
Dougie Rankin played in Norman MacLeod to make it 6-3 but there was to be no dramatic come-back and Kingussie would have the final say.
Just a couple of minutes later, Ronald Ross slammed the ball past Skye keeper John "Podge" MacLeod, after seeing his initial effort blocked, to complete his hat-trick and make it 7-3.
The defeat left Skye with just two points from their opening five matches.