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| With rampaging Roddy in the side, Kyles won't be giving up |
Kyles continue to look like a good side in comparison to the teams around them in the Orion Premiership. But (and if you'll excuse the expression) it's a big but - Newtonmore are virtually ensured of finally securing the league title this week.
Thank goodness for Kyles - and I say that from a shinty fan's perspective - because they look like the main challengers on a sustained basis to a Newtonmore side that otherwise is sweeping all before them.
Nobody can argue with league positions, but I have to say that Kyles is the most exciting team to watch in the league. Newtonmore has big, athletic players who are really solid and look the part.
I don't believe that Kyles can currently quite match them player-for-player in skill terms.
But what this Kyles side has in spades is fitness, eagerness and that hoary old Kyles attribute of never knowing when you are beaten.
Barney Crawford had it. By God did he. I have no doubt, though I never witnessed it, that the Nicolsons and other worthies of old also had it.
I suppose it comes down to a winning mentality and playing for 95 minutes.
With Fort William's present inconsistency and Kingussie seemingly in the temporary doldrums as Ronald Ross fights age and injury before youngsters come through - Newtonmore would have little to challenge them throughout a season were it not for Kyles Athletic.
And when we take a step back from the playing field and look at the village environment, the achievements of this Kyles side appear even more remarkable.
Tighnabruaich, the main village in the club's catchment area, has a massive proportion of second or holiday homes, as does much of the Cowal peninsula.
The primary school roll struggles for numbers, and last year we hear there were no pupils at all in Primary 1 as the term began.
Too many old retired folk and weekend residents with little or no shinty background, living in homes once occupied by young families, must do little for the local shinty club, or the variety of social life around the district. But Kyles still manage to compete at the highest level.
The volunteer coaches, committee and all the players deserve huge credit.
Anyway - without wishing to be premature, congratulations to Newtonmore on the club's third succesive premiership crown.
And they will win it - unless Kyles overturn a goal difference of 13.
But (and it's another big one), with the bold Roddy MacDonald in the side (and his old man in goals) and adding to the equation a stuffy Glenurquhart team who won't lie down to Newtonmore, who would bet their life savings against Kyles sneaking it..?
I am a huge Kyles supporter and from Tighnabruaich, this article was great. Thank-You
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