Can Oban stop More from making it No. 4?
SHINTY: CAMANACHD CUP PREVIEW
Newtonmore and Oban Camanachd are just a step away from shinty’s Holy Grail as they contest the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup Final at An Aird, Fort William on Saturday.
Whilst the league title is the main measure of success in most club sports, the knock-out Camanachd Cup is undeniably the ultimate prize for all shinty players.
Newtonmore are out to claim the famous trophy for the fourth successive season
– a feat the record 33-times winners also managed in 1910.
Oban Camanachd’s last “Scottish” success was in 1996, and their only two previous triumphs came in the 1930s.
The sides also contested the 2016 Final, also in Fort William, when Glen MacKintosh’s goal gave Newtonmore the narrowest 1-0 victory.
More are captained by Evan Menzies, who stole the show in last year’s Final, netting twice in the 3-0 victory over Lovat, to walk away with the coveted Albert Smith Medal as Man of the Match.
Also vying for the winning captain’s silver-mounted caman is Oban Camanachd skipper and talisman, Daniel Cameron, who played in the 2016 Final with facial stitches.
With the sides yet to meet this season, a close encounter is anticipated.
“It’s déjà vu,” said Menzies. “When we met in the 2016 Final, we hadn’t played in the league either.
“It makes it very interesting as there’s nothing to go on. But, hopefully, we can match or better the 2016 result.
“However, Oban have certainly progressed as a squad since then, and now have much more experience of the bigger games.
“So, on current form, some may even have them as favourites, and rightly so as they’ve reached all three finals this year, and are a huge force in the game.”
Cameron is not for accepting the favourites tag, though.
“Newtonmore’s record over the last decade is such that I don’t think the bookies will have us as favourites,” smiled the Oban man.”
▪ Skye Camanachd were yesterday’s big winners at Women’s Cup Finals Day, beating Badenoch 8-6 in a scintillating final in the sunshine at the Dell to lift the coveted Mowi Valerie Fraser Camanachd Cup.
Earlier in the day, Lovat took the Mowi Challenge Cup following a 7-1 victory over Inverness.