The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
For Shiel switch in time
one which deserved the goals. Keith never really got over a hernia operation last season and was not fully sharp in the whole campaign. But this year he’s been fit and producing.”
Keith’s eighth-minute goal was an ideal settler for Shiel and, although Lovat were still very much in the tie, John MacRae grabbed a vital second just before half-time. Keith’s second, 13 minutes from time, secured Shiel’s first Macaulay final appearance and ended Lovat’s silverware hopes for the season. Inveraray, surprise finalists in the Artemis Macaulay Cup, are unhappy about the last-minute red card for their hat-trick scorer Allan Macdonald.
The player, who only switched from full back this season, had defeated Kyles Athletic in his side's 3-2 upset win at Oban when he was sent off by referee Lachie Wood after an altercation with a line judge.
Player-manager Ruaridh Graham said: “Allan was superb and it's a shame his performance ended in controversial circumstances. He received a straight red card for allegedly swearing at the line judge. I'm fairly certain that Allan didn't actually swear but we have no right of appeal.”
Macdonald caused major problems for Kyles, a division higher and the cup holders, who had twice led in the tie.
Scott MacLachlan, Fraser Watt and Lewis Montgomery, Ross' elder brother, have all been called in to the South
“It's a shame his performance ended in controversially”
under-21 select team, a testimony to the success of Inveraray opting to develop young talent.
The Winterton Park men are top of the National Division with four games remaining and Graham added: “I told the players after beating Kyles that we'll treat them as five cup finals, not just one.”
Kyles, without Grant Irvine and Roddy Macdonald but with Andy King and David Zavaroni back, are shaken at being knocked out of two cups in quick succession and shot themselves in the foot by missing two of the three penalties they were awarded.
It looked so different when Robbie Macleod scored the opener in 18 minutes and although Macdonald quickly equalised, Gordon Whyte netted a penalty to give Athletic an interval advantage. But Macdonald scored to put Inveraray level in 65 minutes and five minutes from the end he completed his treble.