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)
Kinlochshiel wis creatit as the result o the combinin o three clubs: Kintail, Lochalsh an Glenshiel, wha first joinit forces in 1958. These teams competit fae the Conchra cup alang wi nearby Lochcarron. 

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)
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. 

Johnston Gill led the team tae success in North Division Ane in 2011. 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. 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)
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)

In 2020, Kinlochshiel's new groond opened.

In 2021, Kinlochshiel playit Lovat in their first Camanachd Cup final. 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
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