Kyles Athletic goal-grabber Roddy Macdonald is under the Shinty Spotlight this week.
The 34-year-old details trophy highs and lows, dental troubles and which away ground is like home from home…
What is your earliest shinty memory?
My first memory was when I was maybe in primary 3. We were at the training and (Kyles team-mate) Grant Irvine and I asked if we could go to Lochgilphead Indoor Sixes on a Saturday.
We were pretty young and there were a lot of the older boys involved, so we were the two subs. We got to the final when we were beaten by Lochnell Primary from near Oban, so overall it was quite a good experience for your first-ever tournament. That set us on our way for a few more over the years.
Who was senior debut against and what was the result?
I think it was against Inveraray and I think we lost 3-1, playing against Garry MacPherson. I was 15 or 16, which was quite an experience – thrown in at the deep end.
What is your best moment in shinty so far?
The best moment was definitely winning the Scottish Cup in 2012. It was a good day all round for the club and it was a fantastic game, which had a bit of everything.
We beat Inveraray 6-5 in an all-South final at Mossfield Park (in Oban) and it was my proudest moment in the game.
And the worst?
I have lost three Scottish Cup finals, but in 2011, we were neck and neck with Newtonmore, going for the Premier League title.
We hadn’t lost a game all season then, near the end of the season, we played Newtonmore in Dunoon. Had we won or drawn, we’d almost certainly have won the league.
Danny MacRae popped up to score a 90th-minute winner for Newtonmore, so that was a bit of a sickener. It was the closest we’ve come to winning the Premier League.
What is the worst injury you have suffered?
I’ve had my front teeth knocked out a couple of times. After the first time, I had to get a dental implant.
I was stupid enough to keep playing without a helmet and had them knocked out again. I wear a helmet now – after paying fortunes to the dentist!
Who is the joker in the team?
At the minute, it would be our goalkeeper John Whyte, he’s always up to mischief.
In days gone by, it would have been Colin MacDonald – he was always ready for a bit of a carry-on.
What is your favourite away ground?
It would have to be Mossfield. It’s almost like a second home ground, because we’ve played there so often. It seems like that, anyway.
We’ve had quite a bit of success in finals there, so it would have to be Mossfield.
Who is the rival player you would have loved in your team and why?
Rory Kennedy from Newtonmore, mainly because he wouldn’t be marking me when we were playing Newtonmore.
Rory has got everything and he’s very hard to play against. He doesn’t give you a minute.
What is the favourite goal scored by you or a team-mate?
My own favourite goal came (in a 4-3 victory) against Newtonmore in the 2013 Macaulay Cup final. I managed to beat my man, took the ball wide and put it into the roof of the net from quite a tight angle.
From a team-mate, it would be a goal from Grant Irvine in the Balliemore Cup final in 2005. The ball came right over from one side and he took it first time on the volley into the opposite top corner – it was an unbelievable goal and he was only 17 at the time.
Describe the sport in three words?
Passion, team-work and friendship.
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