Sport / Sporting round-up: Learning disability team, football goal glut and more …
THE FIRST ever Shetland team for a national learning disability sports event has been selected in the lead-up to this month’s games.
Attentions might be turning towards the Island Games in Orkney next week, but Shetland are also set to take a major step forward in the world of learning disability sports.
The blues have picked their squad for the Scottish learning disability summer games in Stirling later this month, marking the first time Shetland have taken part.
A total of 19 athletes will head to Stirling to compete across boccia, bowls, badminton, football and swimming from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 July.
Shetland Valkyries rugby captain Charis Scott will manage the team, with support from Ability Shetland representatives Beverley Leslie, Megan Keppie and Stephanie Bain.
Scott told Shetland News in January it was a “great opportunity” for Shetland and its athletes to compete at the games for the first time.
“It’s a bit of an unknown for us, and it’s going to be a very high standard,” she said.
“It’s very exciting. People in Shetland have such pride in representing Shetland at sports, so it’s amazing some of these athletes will get to do it for the first time.”
“Some of these people will never have represented Shetland, so I’m quite delighted they’ll get that chance.”
Around 750 athletes are expected to descend on Stirling for the games, along with more than 350 coaches, volunteers and officials from across the country.
Shetland will also take a team of coaches down to Stirling for the event, including Danny Peterson, Robert Balfour and Benji Bain (football), Hannah Polson from Shetland Hurricanes (swimming), Avril Starmore and Charis Scott (boccia) and Laura Mackenzie (badminton).
Both team Shetland and Ability Shetland thanked their sponsors for covering the cost of travel, accommodation and team kits, including NorthLink, iCare, EnQuest, COPE, Streamline, Moar Doors, Shetland Chiropractor, GTS, Easterhoull Chalets and Thomas Leslie Contractors.
A GLUT of goals rained down in the Ocean Kinetics Premier League on a night of high drama and dreadful conditions on Friday.
Thistle beat town rivals Celtic in an incredible 12-goal thriller to put a further dent in Celtic’s hopes of retaining their league title.
The jags overcame their opponents in a ridiculous 7-5 scoreline to leave Celtic three points off new league leaders Whitedale having played a game more.
It was Thistle’s second league win of the season, with both their wins incredibly coming in games in which they’ve conceded five goals.
A hat-trick from Matthew Robertson, two goals from Thomas Clark and strikes from Cameron Uren and Ellis Williamson were enough for Thistle to snatch the three points in the rain, with Marley Teale (two), James Aitken, Joe Clubb and Connor Regan scoring for Celtic.
Remarkably the night’s other game was also a goal-fest, with Whitedale beating Scalloway by the odd goal in nine to win 5-4 at Strom.
Doubles from Greg Tulloch and Bobby Scott, and one from Gary Scott, ensured Whitedale – who lost their first two league games of the season – moved top after a fifth straight victory.
Jamie Leishman (two), John Allan and Jack Fitzsimmons responded for Scalloway.
Friday’s game between Ness and Whalsay at Boddam had to be abandoned due to an unplayable pitch.
There were strangely no such issues less than 10 miles away, with Southside Impact’s championship league cup match with North Isles at Sandwick being played to a finish.
That match was also a goal fest, with the two teams playing out a 4-4 draw that leaves three teams in with a serious shout of lifting the trophy.
Kyle Leask (two), Finlay Simpson and Dylan Black scored for the Impact, with Brian Henderson, Kane Paul, Leighton Pottinger and Marcus Goodhand responding for North Isles in another cracker.
In the weekend’s other league cup action, Bressay Sharks came from behind at home to beat Banks 4-1.
Isaac Chapman gave Banks the lead early in the first half, but goals from Nethan Watson, Ryan Nicolson and a double from Jamie Doherty means all three of Wastside Rebels, North Isles and Bressay could lift the cup in the final two fixtures.
SATURDAY saw bowlers competing for the Crown Green trophy ahead of their trip to Orkney to compete in next week’s Island Games.
Players were drawn into pairs who played a 10-end game, had a refreshment break, and then another 10-end game against different opposition.
The pair with the highest shot total would win the trophy.
The game is played without the normal rink set-up and the jack can be rolled in any direction as long as it does not interfere with another game.
After the first 10 ends Anne Barron and Margaret Johnson were out in front with an 11 shot total.
In second place were Chris Bunyan and Michael Ballard on nine shots and, ironically, these teams were drawn to play against each other over the final 10 ends.
The ladies triumphed in this game finishing on 20 shots, with Graham McAllister and Alex Elphinstone moving up to second place on 19.
The trophy was presented to Barron and Johnson by club president Bob Brandie.
MASTERS are showing their younger counterparts how its done on the hockey pitch after racking up two wins and a draw from their first three fixtures in the Dowry Grutness cup.
The side beat Burra 2-1 in an eye-catching result on Thursday night in Brae to remain top of the league.
In the night’s other match on a dreich evening for hockey, Whalsay overcame Delting 2-0.
Burra beat Delting 5-0 last Monday to remain in the hunt for the trophy, while Zetland beat Whalsay 6-3 in an entertaining fixture.
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