Super Fort William are just champion - full reaction to title win
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CHAMPIONS Fort William enjoyed a shinty shindig on Saturday – but it’s all about the future for the winners who saw off the threat of Marine Harvest National Division rivals Oban Camanachd.
The party is over and plans are falling into place as the An Aird club prepare for their return to the Orion Group Premiership just one year after suffering the pain of relegation.
Oban, who lost 2-0 to Fort in the title decider at Mossfield Park at the weekend in the long-awaited rescheduled clash, could join them if – as expected – a Camanachd Association meeting rubber-stamps the reintroduction of the 10-team top division on November 28.
Oban will feel a case of ‘what ifs’, having led 1-0 in the original fixture in September which was abandoned due to referee injury, so they will hope they gain a Get Out Of Jail Free Card to take the step up as well.
However, Fort wanted to be there on merit as unbeaten league winners, who netted a whopping 72 goals in their 14 fixtures.
Yet, it was a bittersweet weekend for Fort as their five-times Camanachd Cup-winning star Gary Innes (33) announced his retirement at full-time as he steps up his music commitments as an accordionist with well-travelled Gaelic rock band Manran.
Adam Robertson, who has bossed Fort’s mainly young squad to title glory this year alongside Victor Smith, stressed that the cream of the crop will be handed their chance to show at the highest level that they can cut it, having been so impressive just one level down in 2014.
He explained: "We will keep introducing players in the way we have. It’s unlikely we can bring any players in, but we’ll work with the talent we have.
"It will obviously be harder in the Premier League, but we’ll be back for pre-season in the New Year and be ready to go.
"The players have been excellent and they have worked so hard. While the first priority is to ensure the club stays up, we will be aiming to do as well as we can while at the same time introducing young players into the team when the time is right to do so."
Innes saw his first half penalty saved and Stevie Stewart was sent off, but an early goal from Daniel Stewart and another before the break from Arran MacPhee sealed the win in Oban, although a draw would have been enough.
Robbo added: "We were really pleased by the performance and we should have been more than 2-0 ahead at half-time. We missed a penalty and had other chances whereas the second half ebbed a flowed more, but overall we were delighted to win the match and go up as champions. I think we have been deserved winners and we go up without the need of any verdicts in meetings.
"It was worth the wait for everyone at the club. When we got back to the club at night, we enjoyed it. It was an informal night, nothing was planned, we just enjoyed it."
Robertson admits losing Scotland international Innes is a blow for Fort William, but stressed he can still play his part despite hanging up his caman.
He explained: "To be fair, we knew in advance that Gary was planning to retire and he will be sadly missed, but we fully understand his decision. It’s time for him to move on from playing shinty.
"He’s been a terrific servant for this club and won the Camanachd Cup five times, including being captain. He has scored many important goals for this club and we will miss him. He’s been great for the club and, in turn, I think the club has been great for Gary.
"He told us that next season, due to his music commitments, he would not have been available to play until our eighth game. He admitted that’s no use to him or to Victor or I. He’s got a job that he loves and that’s the important thing.
"A lot of the younger lads have watched Gary play over the years and will have been inspired by him. He says that, when he can, he’ll still be around the club to pass on advice and get right behind the team and we look forward to that."
Fort will no doubt be tough opponents for Premiership opponents if this year has been anything to go by. In cup competitions, Fort have beaten Glenurquhart and Kinlochshiel and forced Kingussie into extra-time and penalties.
* Following Innes confirming his retirement from the sport on Facebook, he got more than 1,300 "likes" and around 100 comments as we went to press, including this one from shinty broadcaster Hugh Dan MacLennan: "Thanks for providing me with one of my great lines in commentary – "Where’s Gary Innes been for the second half?" Booom! Winner. Bught Park."
