Shetland hold on to lead in junior inter-county after first day

Shetland won the first event of this year’s junior inter-county against Orkney, triumphing 55-42 in Saturday’s athletics at Pickaquoy in Kirkwall.

Among the highlights were four new or equalled records, with middle-distance runner Seumas Mackay setting the standard with a new boys’ 400 metres record of 49.1 seconds.

Lucy Holden set a new girls’ high jump record with 1.67m while the Shetland boys’ relay quartet bettered the 4x100m time with 44.1 seconds.

Katie Dinwoodie tied with the record in the girls’ 200m with a time of 25.5 seconds.

Unfortunately two late goals in the hockey match gave Orkney a 3-1 victory, meaning they clawed back 10 points in the overall competition.

Sophie Jamieson gave Shetland an early lead from open play. Orkney equalised from a penalty corner and then the girls held off their opponents for the rest of the first half.

Junior inter-county secretary Victoria Duthie said the Shetland players’ defending was “brilliant” with also some fine attacking play.

She said: “In the second half it was in the last 10 minutes that they lost the [final] two goals, from penalty corners.”

Duthie said the hockey team was definitely getting better, after a few heavy defeats in recent years.

“They’re improving ever time, and they were very unlucky this year.”

The 3-1 hockey scoreline, with five points for each goal, left the overall overnight tally at 60 points to Shetland and 57 to the home side.

Today (Sunday) sees the swimming in the morning, the football match at 2pm and the inter-county finishes with the netball match at 4pm.