Kinlochshiel
Kinlochshiel Shinty Club is a shinty club locatit i Balmacara, near Kyle O Lochalsh, Lochalsh, Scotland. The club haes twa men's sides, a senior tema i the Premier Division an a reserve team in North Division Ane.
Kinlochshiel won their first iver senior national trophy i 2016 wi the MacAulay Cup. I 2017 they won their first Premier Division title, becomin anely the fowrth team tae dae sae, an the second nae based i Badenoch. In 2021 they completit a club graund slam by winnin the Camanachd Cup an the MacTavish Cup fae the first time.
Airly historie (1958-2005)
[eedit | edit soorce]Kinlochshiel wis creatit as the result o the combinin o three clubs: Kintail, Lochalsh an Glenshiel, wha first joinit forces in 1958.[1] These teams competit fae the Conchra cup alang wi nearby Lochcarron.[2]
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The club won its first trophies in the form o the Sutherland Cup i 1962 an the Strathdearn Cup in 1975. Whilst the club haes been successfu o'er the years, a bad streak i the 1990's lead tae Kinlochshiel droppin tae the laichest division i the North an needin tae wirk their wey back up the rankings. At this time they re-established their reserve team.
Oan the up (2006-2015)
[eedit | edit soorce]2007 wis an awfe successfu year fae the club as they won the North Division Three an the Balliemore Cup. The club won the Balliemore cup oan the 1st o September 2007 aginst Glenurquhart i a rearanged match i Newtonmore efter the first match wis rainit oot oan the 17th o August i Oban. I 2009 the team reachit the Balliemore Cup final fae the fifth time. They lost 5-1 tae Strathglass.
The club agin reachit the Ballimore final in 2010. They won oan penalties efetr a late comeback which saw them 4-3 doon in extra time, afore forcing the game tae extra time wi the last hit o the ba. The final save in the shoot-oot wis controversially savit by keeper Graham Kennedy wi his heid, therefore it should hae forcit a retake, owiver as it wis unintentional it wis no a foul, owiver it wis still an unwise decision fae personal safety.[3]
Johnston Gill led the team tae success in North Division Ane in 2011.[4] In 2012 they settled intae the Premiership wi wins o'er major teams Kingussie, Newtonmore an Kyles Athletic, as weil as reachin the Camanachd Cup Semi-Final which they lost tae Inverary.[5] O'er the next few years, there wis a number o close calls wi relegation, owiver they secured their positon towards the end o the 2014 season. Construction began oan Kinlochshiel's new groond in 2014.
The golden generation (2016-present)
[eedit | edit soorce]2016 saw the club push fae the top o the premiership, aided by the signing o Scotland international Conor Cormack frae Beauly. The club wir owiver defeated i the Camanachd Cup Semi-Fina i August l bi Newtonmore. But then i September, unner new manager Colin Fraser, Kinlochshiel defeated Inveraray 5-3 tae win the MacAulay Cup. This wis the first senior national trophy iver won bi the club.
I 2017 Kinlochshiel makked historie wi their win i the Premier Division. They were pursued bi Kyles Athletic throchoot the season, an Kyle's had a slicht lead efter a 4-0 victory ower Kinlochshiel. Owiver efter Kyles' game wis cancelled bi the rain, Kinlochshiel beat Oban Camanachd 2-0 to secure the title. Becomin ane o juist fower tae dae so, an ane of ainly twa frae ootwith Badenoch (The ither being Fort William)
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In 2020, Kinlochshiel's new groond opened.
In 2021, Kinlochshiel playit Lovat in their first Camanachd Cup final.[6] They won the match 3-1 and, efter winning the MacTavish cup aginst Kingussie 3-2 later that year, they securit a club Graund Slam.
Clash o the Ash
[eedit | edit soorce]The Club is the ainly team tae be specifically mentionit in the lyrics o the Runrig sang, Clash o the Ash in the lines:
"Tell me wha's gang tae mark the Kinlochshiel Bear
He's hard as nails, quick as a flash
He comes doon frae the caves
Fae the clash o the ash"
References
[eedit | edit soorce]- ↑ "Verifying…". shinty.com. Retrieved 18 Januar 2026.
- ↑ Alizade, Mike. "Am Baile - Kintail Shinty Team". www.ambaile.org.uk (in Inglis). Archived frae the original on 7 Mairch 2012. Retrieved 18 Januar 2026.
- ↑ HomerJenkins (20 Julie 2010), Shinty keeper saves.mpg, retrieved 18 Januar 2026
- ↑ "BBC - Gary Innes: Newtonmore pipped at the post". www.bbc.co.uk (in Inglis). Retrieved 18 Januar 2026.
- ↑ "Shinty: Record-breaking Kinlochshiel out to make another piece of history". The Herald (in Inglis). 4 August 2012. Retrieved 18 Januar 2026.
- ↑ "Camanachd Cup final: Kinlochshiel ready for debut as Lovat seek third success". BBC Sport (in Inglis). 17 September 2021. Retrieved 18 Januar 2026.