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Kinlochshiel players dominate shinty's team of the season for 2021 after double trophy glory in Camanachd Cup and MacTavish Cup


By Andrew Henderson

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Several Kinlochshiel players have been voted into shinty’s team of the season for 2021.

The team was chosen in a couple of steps, first by balloting club captains to nominate players from other teams to gather a shortlist, and then by a public vote on Twitter to pick the final team which saw over 3500 votes cast.

After a hugely successful year for ‘Shiel that saw them lift both the Camanachd Cup and the MacTavish Cup for the first time to complete the set of senior shinty trophies, it was perhaps no surprise that the club was represented in the vast majority of the public votes.

Kinlochshiel captain Keith MacRae took the largest share of the vote for any position in shinty's team of the year for 2021. Picture: Neil Paterson
Kinlochshiel captain Keith MacRae took the largest share of the vote for any position in shinty's team of the year for 2021. Picture: Neil Paterson

First to secure his place was goalkeeper Josh Grant, who claimed 40 per cent of the public vote. Then it was the turn of Finlay MacRae to get 41.3 per cent of the vote for full back.

Duncan Matheson missed out at wing back in a closely fought battle, before Conor Cormack won a similarly close vote to get in at half back.

Donald Nixon took over half of the public wing centre vote to make the final team with ease, before Jordan Fraser made it in at wing forward – but by far the biggest margin came for full forward Keith MacRae. He earned 72.2 per cent of the public vote as the last man in the team.

'Shiel manager Johnston Gill was also in the running for manager of the year, but lost out to Beauly's Gregor MacCormick and Niall MacLennan who steered their side to the Balliemore Cup final.

The Camanachd Association's marketing and communications officer, Aarron Duncan-MacLeod, said: “It’s great to see so many deserving winners in the MOWI Team of the Season.

"These types of polls are often close run and always contentious and I hope that this will give shinty fans the world over something to talk about ahead of what is set to be an exciting 2022 campaign.”

Shinty's 2021 team of the year

Goalkeeper: Josh Grant (Kinlochshiel)

Full back: Finlay MacRae (Kinlochshiel)

Wing back: Andy King (Kyles Athletic)

Wing back: Daniel Sloss (Oban Camanachd)

Half back: Conor Cormack (Kinlochshiel)

Wing centre: Donald Nixon (Kinlochshiel)

Full centre: Ross MacRae (Kyles Athletic)

Wing centre: Steven MacDonald (Newtonmore)

Half forward: Ruairidh Anderson (Kingussie)

Wing forward: James Falconer (Kingussie)

Wing forward: Jordan Fraser (Kinlochshiel)

Full forward: Keith MacRae (Kinlochshiel)

Manager: Gregor MacCormick and Niall MacLennan (Beauly)


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