Inveraray in Macaulay Cup final
ONE OF shinty’s show-piece occasions takes place at Mossfield in Oban this coming weekend as Inveraray and Kinlochshiel meet in the Artemis MacAulay Cup Final on Saturday September 3. Inveraray may be playing in shinty’s second tier but this is their second final of the season. They lost out to Kyles Athletic in the Gregor Cameron Consultancy Glasgow Celtic Society Cup final and they have been preparing hard for this encounter. Euan McMurdo’s return to the squad, after missing the earlier part of the season, is a boost to team player/manager Ruaridh Graham’s selection options. Captain Allan MacDonald is now free of suspension and will likely lead the attack.
However, Lewis Montgomery is out after suffering a hand injury whilst representing the South U21 against their North coun- ter-parts last weekend.
Kinlochshiel will be taking part in their first senior final. Their main absentee is former Beauly defender Conor Cormack who is out with a hand injury. The main selection choice for manager Colin Fraser will surround who takes Cormack’s place. Calum MacLean and John Don MacKenzie are both options as is pulling Finlay MacRae back from full centre into the back line. ’Shiel are captained by David Falconer.
Kinlochshiel’s second place sitting in the Marine Harvest Premiership means they will go into the final as favourites. However Inveraray are the ones with the cup final experience and they will be ready to take advantage if the west coast side are not at their best.
Throw up at Mossfield is at 2pm and Evan MacRae is the match referee.
The match will be broadcast live on BBC2 Scotland from 1.45pm.
Caol Cup South U21 1 North U21 3
The North recovered from losing an early goal to beat the South 3-1 in their 2pm throw up at Jubilee Park.
With Scotland U21 manager Allan MacRae taking a keen interest, the South were managed by Ian MacDonald and, with Callum McLeod unavailable, Lovat defender Drew Howie looked after the North squad.
The South got off to a great start when Daniel MacVicar put them ahead after just a couple of minutes.
MacVicar capitalised on a slip in the home defence to crash a backhand shot into the roof of the net to make it 1-0.
The closest the North came to a first half leveller was a Charlie MacDonald strike which came back off the crossbar. The second half was just 10 minutes old when Craig Morrison pulled the North level. Morrison was first to react to a rebound and he just managed to tap the ball home to make it 1-1.
Two goals from Charlie MacDonald late in the match gave the North the win.
MacDonald put the North ahead for the first time in the match on 77 minutes when he got onto a cut-back to send a low backhand drive into the net to make it 2-1.
Inverness forward MacDonald sealed the win on 81 minutes to ensure the North retained the Caol Cup.
Inveraray’s Lewis Montgomery suffered a hand injury in the match which could rule him out for the rest of the season.
North U21 captain Michael MacKenzie was presented with the Caol Cup by Camanachd Association director Keith Loades.
W J Cameron Cup Final Lovat U17 3 Inveraray U17 1
Lovat U17 lifted the W J Cameron trophy with a 3-1 win over Inveraray in their 11am throw up at the Jubilee Park, Ballachulish.
This competition is for development clubs and it was played 10-a-side on a full pitch.
Lovat went in front on 39 minutes when Cameron MacMillan was first onto a rebound after a Mitchel Leslie shot was saved by the Inveraray keeper. MacMillan, who had been an injury doubt before the match, sent a low back-hand drive into the bottom corner of the net to make it 1-0.
Scott MacKenzie made it 2-0 on 43 minutes when he hit a long ball into the area from the half way line.
The ball took a bad bounce, deceiving the keeper, and ended in the back of the net.
Lovat added a third on 65 minutes when the ball came in from the right wing and Cameron MacMillan played in young Joe Embleton, who slipped the ball wide to Ruaridh Buchan and he finished off the move with a low shot into the net from a tight angle.
Campbell Watt gave Inveraray some consolation when he made it 3-1 on 68 minutes but it was Lovat’s day and their captain Cameron MacMillan was presented with the WJ Cameron trophy. Des McNulty was the match referee.
Friendly Match Oban Celtic 2 Kilmory 3
Oban Celtic and Kilmory, both riding high in their respective divisions, played a friendly match at Ganavan.
The game finished 3-2 in Kilmory’s favour. Kilmory’s scorers were Alex Cunningham twice and Hal Jones. Daniel MacMillan and Kenny Wotherspoon netted for Celtic.