Published: Thursday, 15th March, 2007 12:00pm

Shinty kids among Scotland"s best

by Sportsdesk

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Pic by: Dunfermline Press

ABERDOUR Shinty Club"s under-12s rounded off an exceptional indoor shinty season by finishing fourth in the national indoor shinty finals in Fort William on Saturday.

The club qualified for the finals by winning both the Central Scotland Indoor Shinty League and the Kelvinhall event convincingly last month – the first time an Aberdour team has won both the indoor league and Kelvinhall in the same season.

Aberdour under-12 teams have qualified for the national event three times in a row but this was the first time the club has reached the semi-finals.

They did so on goals scored after beating Kingussie 1-0 and Achahoish 3-0, drawing 0-0 with Loch Duich and losing narrowly to both Beauly and Portree 2-1, Andrew Macdonald scoring four goals.

Aberdour thought they"d gone out after the group stages but with four teams locked together on five points, the West Fifers reached a semi-final showdown with Banavie on the strength of their six goals scored.

Aberdour rose to the challenge magnificently but unbeaten Banavie proved too strong, winning 3-0.

Exhausted Aberdour then had to go straight back out for the third-fourth place play-off, where they again lost 2-1 to Portree with Matthew McVay scoring Aberdour"s consolation.

Despite losing the game, Aberdour had played some exceptional shinty in front of a large crowd and left the field with their heads held high.

Club coach Lisa Norman told Press Sport, 'These Aberdour players represented their club in the true spirit of the game and played well as a team.

'Of course they were gutted not to reach the final but did not let it show or spoil their excellent achievements this year and last.

'As coach I am really proud of their achievements this year and attitude towards competing.'

The club was due to field its first all girls team on Sunday but the game was cancelled due to the weather. Aberdour now has seven girls in a Primary 6/7 team drawn from across West Fife, including Aberdour, Inverkeithing and Saline.

The club will help celebrate St Patrick"s Day on Saturday by hosting Salthill Knocknacarra Camogie Club from Co Galway. Camogie is the women"s version of hurling and three matches are planned between 12pm and 3pm at the Silversands pitch.

Salthill"s senior team will play a Central Scotland Select shinty team, featuring players from Forth, Glasgow Mid Argyll and Aberdour which will be followed by a demonstration shinty game between Aberdour and St Andrews University. Finally, Salthill"s under-17 team will play a Central Scotland Select team comprising girls from Milngavie and Bearsden, Glasgow Mid Argyll, Linlithgow and Aberdour. The heavy ground may give the Camogie players the edge, with their skill at playing the ball in the air, in what promises to be some entertaining matches.