The 102nd Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final between Fort William and Kyles Athletic takes place at Mossfield, Oban on Saturday 19 September 2009.
When Kyles Athletic took the field at Bught Park Inverness to play Fort William in the 1994 Camanachd Cup Final, few gave them a chance against favourites Fort William. However in a match played 11 years to the day after their last victory – a 3-2 win over Strachur in the 1983 final at Fort William - the men from Tighnabruaich beat the odds to spark scenes of wild celebration across Argyll.
The verses below were featured in the 1994/95 Shinty Yearbook. They capture the Kyles team’s heroics on the day and also have a playful dig at a well known shinty journalist who had predicated a Fort William win!
Glenmorangie Camanachd Cup Final - 4 June 1994, Bught Park Inverness
Fort William 1 Kyles Athletic 3
The Toast is “Kyles Athletic”
The year was 1994
The Kyles went North again
To win the ancient Shinty Cup
From the wild Lochaber men
The papers said ”Forget it lads”
Hugh Dan was to the fore
The Cup is going Fort William’s way
T’will be a handsome score
But the lads of Kyles weren’t listening
They hadn’t read the script
Hugh Dan and all his minions
Were sadly cast adrift
The game began with pressure
From Fort William strong and fit
But the lads in Blue ne’er wilted
As they dealt with every hit
The Kyles began to settle
The ball flew up the park
And Tommy, Dan and Kenny
In the centre made their mark
T’was Lochaber’s turn to suffer
And suffer soon they did
Our winged footed Peter
Left MacMillan good as dead
How we cheered our gallant heroes
Both at Inverness and at home
As the dream of shinty glory
Dawned upon us – everyone
The boys in blue went pressing on
To help increase the score
And tho’ the Fort tried all they knew
They were shaken to the core
A slip from Tommy on the wing
Sent Peter running free
MacMillan stopped him with his stick
The ref blew up – “a penalty” quo’ he
A silence fell amongst us all
As Corky lined it up
A Nicolson wouldn’t let us down
In the final of the Cup
Argyllshire cheers then rent the sky
Two goals were just the ticket
Hugh Dan and all his doubting crew
Were on a sticky wicket
When half-time came we were informed
Of what the Fort would do
They’d use the wind, their skilful men
Would make the Kyles feel blue
For just a while they did assault
Our goal with feint and sally
But Kenny, Andy, Fraser and the halfs
Stood firm ‘gainst every rally
At last a goal went in our net
Hugh Dan was in his glory
A matter of time he told us now
Till the Fort concludes the story
But alas! For him he reckoned not
Midst all his ifs and buts
It’s called tradition in the game
In Kyles we call it guts
So the gallant twelve just buckled to
With the help of Norm and Andy
But the endless sweeping Northern tide
Failed to shake big Andy
Two men stood out in all the storm
Red Ron and Dan MacRae
The spirit of the men from Kyles
Was sure to win the day
As time passed by the boys in blue
Kept up the breakneck pace
Until again our flying Pete
Won yet another race
Once more the ball was blasted home
The score was three to one
Hugh Dan agreed the game was lost
The Fort’s Cup hopes were done
The whistle went, the game was o’er
The boys in triumph stood
As David raised the Cup aloft
Our hearts with pride overflowed
Of all the men who played that day
On the Bught’s green, grassy sward
Big Andy’s medal was the crown
T’was Kyles’ supreme award
So as we join to celebrate
This team that was terrific
From North to South, from East to West
The Toast is “KYLES ATHLETIC”
(with thanks to HRF)
The 2009 final throws up at 1.45pm and will be broadcast live on both television and radio. Television coverage will be on BBC2 Scotland and radio coverage is on both BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio nan Gaidheal.