Eriskay v Barra

1.15pm 17 June 2023

Uist and Barra League
Eriskay 0 Barra 2 (att 60)

I don't have a groundhopping bucket list but if I did it'd include Eriskay, probably along with Boca Juniors and any ground in Greenland. The Scottish island is the easiest of those to get to, but two previous visits to see a game have been thwarted.

In 2019 a cup tie was moved to another venue, then last summer a league fixture was postponed just a few hours before kick off. Thankfully it was third time lucky, as Barra safely made the ferry crossing in time for a lunchtime start.

Both sides have made good starts to the season, which in the Western Isles runs through the summer months. The standard of football seemed better than the previous evening's game at Benbecula, no mean feat given the Eriskay's pitch.

The Cnoc Na Monadh ground, and Eriskay FC, gained fame a few years ago when FIFA included it among eight 'unique places' to play football. Apparently it's featured in the FIFA museum.

It's certainly unique among the grounds I've visited. The setting, overlooking the Atlantic, is stunning. The pitch itself is undulating and very small, so small in fact that it lacks some of the usual markings. There's no defined six yard box and no semi-circle to ensure players stay at least 10 yards from a penalty.

The latter might have been useful, as this game hinged on two spot kicks. Barra had taken the lead in the final minute of the first half, but with about 20 minutes remaining Eriskay spurned a chance to equalise when their penalty hit the crossbar.

Two minutes later a foul just outside the box at other end resulted in an Eriskay red card. Soon after that a Barra penalty, for a trip in the box, was converted to make it 2-0.

The home side tried to get back into the game but their efforts were in vain. Barra will have enjoyed their ferry ride home, while Eriskay and their supporters consoled themselves in the island's sole pub, Am Politician. It's named after the ship that, thanks largely to author Compton Mackenzie, also made Eriskay famous.