Aberdour Shinty Club
Encyclopedia
Aberdour Shinty Club is a shinty
club which plays in Aberdour
, Fife
, Scotland
. It is the only senior Shinty Club in Fife and was founded in 2001. As of 2011 the club entered two teams into senior competition, its first team competing in Marine Harvest South Division One
, and its second team in South Division Two.
Jamieson records that the old name of shinty in Fife was "carrick", and that it was "still used in the eastern part of that county"http://www.dsl.ac.uk/dsl/ in 1825.
However, the sport was played in Glenrothes
in the 1970s and in Dunfermline
in the early 1990s and St. Andrews University
has had a team made up of students since the late 1960s. However, Aberdour is the first club to take a longer term view of the sport in the Kingdom and have developed a strong junior setup to support the development of the senior team.
It was established in 2001 as a junior side by local Sports Science student Lisa Norman as part of a project at University and within a few years had successful teams playing at all levels from Under 10 to Under 17.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/5071470.stm
The club finished bottom of South Division Two in its first season, 2006. The club recorded its first win in senior shinty with a 5-3 away win against Edinburgh East Lothian
on 28 April 2007 but the club again finished bottom in its sophomore season. In June 2007, Aberdour's Under 17 team were runners up in the MacQuiston Cup.
2008 saw Aberdour begin to mature as a side and they recorded victories against Glasgow Mid Argyll
and London Camanachd
as well as having significantly improved performances against other teams in the league.http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/articles/2/24975#post The club finished the league second bottom but within three points of third place.
The club won its first national trophies in 2008 at youth level, winning the under-14 development trophy 5-1 against Strathglass on the 13th of September 2008 in Fort William and the National U-12 Sixes in Drumnadrochit on the 29th of November 2008.http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/articles/2/31596
In 2009, the club reached its first senior semi-final, in the Bullough Cup, where they lost 4-2 to South Division One Champions, Lochside Rovers.
The club's achievements since establishment have been rewarded with recognition of the most talented young players in the international set-up as well as various awards from local organisations.
despite only finishing second in South Division Two and a second team taking its place in South Division Two. The club also competed in the Camanachd Cup
for the first time.http://www.shinty.com/news/scottish-hydro-camanachd-cup-1st-round-draw After a venue change from Cannich, the 'Dour succumbed 5-0 to their more experienced opponents but attracted a record crowd of 150 to Silversands.http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/sport/shinty/articles/2011/04/22/412523-village-was-up-for-the-cup/
The club is now technically, in terms of teams entered into competition, the largest club in shinty.http://www.fifetoday.co.uk/sport/aberdour_enter_elite_shinty_cup_1_1481534 The club held a gala day to celebrate 10 years of shinty in the village in 2011.http://www.fifechildprotection.org.uk/yourtown/index.cfm?fuseaction=event.display&objectid=650249B5-AC03-8FF8-E3B7D32A19604224&pageid=DDBB1127-9D3C-2707-69113F0336737D02&town=1CC0E4E0-9EA7-47B0-2552A57BDBA6B747 The club reached the Bullough Cup Final in 2011 but lost to Lochside Rovers 5-0 at Silversands. The final was hosted by Aberdour with the Oban side's agreement after the original venue in Rothesay, Bute was considered unplayable.
The club had an ignoble double of finishing bottom of both leagues it played in during the 2011 season. This may have implications for the second team's existence as Aberdour's first team will probably be relegated to South Division Two, with no place for the second team to go. However, if Oban Camanachd is relegated from the Premier Division then its second team, Lochside Rovers, may be relegated instead.
Shinty
Shinty is a team game played with sticks and a ball. Shinty is now played mainly in the Scottish Highlands, and amongst Highland migrants to the big cities of Scotland, but it was formerly more widespread, being once competitively played on a widespread basis in England and other areas in the...
club which plays in Aberdour
Aberdour
Aberdour is a scenic and historic village on the south coast of Fife, Scotland. It is on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, looking south to the island of Inchcolm and its Abbey, and to Leith and Edinburgh beyond. According to the 2006 population estimate, the village has a population of...
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is the only senior Shinty Club in Fife and was founded in 2001. As of 2011 the club entered two teams into senior competition, its first team competing in Marine Harvest South Division One
South Division One (shinty)
The South Division One is a league for shinty teams. It is presently in the second tier of the Shinty league system. The winners of the league are promoted to the Premier Division...
, and its second team in South Division Two.
Early History
Although shinty has an historical presence in Fife, it has not tended to be a hotbed of the game in recent times.Jamieson records that the old name of shinty in Fife was "carrick", and that it was "still used in the eastern part of that county"http://www.dsl.ac.uk/dsl/ in 1825.
However, the sport was played in Glenrothes
Glenrothes
Glenrothes is a large town situated in the heart of Fife, in east-central Scotland. It is located approximately from both Edinburgh, which lies to the south and Dundee to the north. The town had an estimated population of 38,750 in 2008, making Glenrothes the third largest settlement in Fife...
in the 1970s and in Dunfermline
Dunfermline
Dunfermline is a town and former Royal Burgh in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. According to a 2008 estimate, Dunfermline has a population of 46,430, making it the second-biggest settlement in Fife. Part of the town's name comes from the Gaelic word...
in the early 1990s and St. Andrews University
University Shinty
Shinty teams which play University Shinty are clubs which play under the banner of a university. However, these clubs are not always student teams in the strictest sense of the word and have a long history of participation at national senior level....
has had a team made up of students since the late 1960s. However, Aberdour is the first club to take a longer term view of the sport in the Kingdom and have developed a strong junior setup to support the development of the senior team.
It was established in 2001 as a junior side by local Sports Science student Lisa Norman as part of a project at University and within a few years had successful teams playing at all levels from Under 10 to Under 17.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/5071470.stm
Entry Into Senior Competition
2005 saw their first entry into senior competition, playing in the Bullough Cup. In 2006 the decision was taken to make the step up to full time competition, entering the senior leagues for the first time, although this was a challenge for a club with such a young squad.The club finished bottom of South Division Two in its first season, 2006. The club recorded its first win in senior shinty with a 5-3 away win against Edinburgh East Lothian
Edinburgh East Lothian
Edinburgh East Lothian Shinty Club" was a shinty club which played in the South Division 2 Shinty League. They were formerly known as Musselburgh Camanachd until 2000. In 2007 they withdrew from the league due to team-raising difficulties...
on 28 April 2007 but the club again finished bottom in its sophomore season. In June 2007, Aberdour's Under 17 team were runners up in the MacQuiston Cup.
2008 saw Aberdour begin to mature as a side and they recorded victories against Glasgow Mid Argyll
Glasgow Mid Argyll
Glasgow Mid Argyll Shinty Club AKA GMA is a shinty club from Glasgow, Scotland. It is the only senior side in Glasgow and was founded in 1928. They currently play in the Premier Division as of 2010...
and London Camanachd
London Camanachd
London Camanachd is the only shinty club in England. They do not field a competitive team at present. They have historically been attached to the South District. They went into abeyance in 1992 but were reconstituted in 2005...
as well as having significantly improved performances against other teams in the league.http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/articles/2/24975#post The club finished the league second bottom but within three points of third place.
The club won its first national trophies in 2008 at youth level, winning the under-14 development trophy 5-1 against Strathglass on the 13th of September 2008 in Fort William and the National U-12 Sixes in Drumnadrochit on the 29th of November 2008.http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/articles/2/31596
In 2009, the club reached its first senior semi-final, in the Bullough Cup, where they lost 4-2 to South Division One Champions, Lochside Rovers.
The club's achievements since establishment have been rewarded with recognition of the most talented young players in the international set-up as well as various awards from local organisations.
Advent of Second Team
In 2011, which will mark the club's tenth anniversary, the club will be running two teams, with the first team moving up into South Division OneSouth Division One (shinty)
The South Division One is a league for shinty teams. It is presently in the second tier of the Shinty league system. The winners of the league are promoted to the Premier Division...
despite only finishing second in South Division Two and a second team taking its place in South Division Two. The club also competed in the Camanachd Cup
Camanachd Cup
The Camanachd Association Challenge Cup AKA the Camanachd Cup or Scottish Cup is the premier prize in the sport of shinty...
for the first time.http://www.shinty.com/news/scottish-hydro-camanachd-cup-1st-round-draw After a venue change from Cannich, the 'Dour succumbed 5-0 to their more experienced opponents but attracted a record crowd of 150 to Silversands.http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/sport/shinty/articles/2011/04/22/412523-village-was-up-for-the-cup/
The club is now technically, in terms of teams entered into competition, the largest club in shinty.http://www.fifetoday.co.uk/sport/aberdour_enter_elite_shinty_cup_1_1481534 The club held a gala day to celebrate 10 years of shinty in the village in 2011.http://www.fifechildprotection.org.uk/yourtown/index.cfm?fuseaction=event.display&objectid=650249B5-AC03-8FF8-E3B7D32A19604224&pageid=DDBB1127-9D3C-2707-69113F0336737D02&town=1CC0E4E0-9EA7-47B0-2552A57BDBA6B747 The club reached the Bullough Cup Final in 2011 but lost to Lochside Rovers 5-0 at Silversands. The final was hosted by Aberdour with the Oban side's agreement after the original venue in Rothesay, Bute was considered unplayable.
The club had an ignoble double of finishing bottom of both leagues it played in during the 2011 season. This may have implications for the second team's existence as Aberdour's first team will probably be relegated to South Division Two, with no place for the second team to go. However, if Oban Camanachd is relegated from the Premier Division then its second team, Lochside Rovers, may be relegated instead.