The 102nd Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final between Fort William and Kyles Athletic takes place at Mossfield, Oban on Saturday 19 September 2009.
Fort William’s road to the final started with a 5-3 win over Kilmallie on 16 May 2009. Gordie MacKinnon gave them the lead after 25 minutes but John Stewart levelled a couple of minutes later. John Stewart gave Kilmallie the lead after 32 minutes but Bryan Simpson made it all square again a minute before the break. Gary Innes found the net twice in 3 minutes on 47 and 49 minutes to give Fort William a 4-2 lead and although Michael Rodger pulled a goal back after 70 minutes, Bryan Simpson netted his second 5 minutes later to seal a 5-3 win ans a place in the quarter finals.
They followed that up with a 3-2 quarter final win over Kinlochshiel. However it took them a period of extra time to finally see off Shiel at Kirkton. Fort William got the fright of their lives when they visited Kirkton to take on Marine Harvest North Division 1 side Kinlochshiel. Gordie MacDonald got the home side off to a great start with a strike after only 5 minutes. Bryan Simpson levelled for the Fort after 20 minutes ensuring that the sides were level at the interval. Simpson put the visitors ahead 11 minutes into the second half and his strike looked to have put the Fort into the semi finals until Finlay MacRae sent the home supporters wild with delight with a goal just 3 minutes from the end. An exciting extra time period ensued and with the first period of extra time goalless, Bryan Simpson was the hero for the holders when he completed his hat-trick just a couple of minutes into the second half of extra time. Shiel emerge from the tie with great credit and whilst it took two hours to separate the sides, Fort William were relieved and delighted to have made the semi finals of shinty’s main competition.
Their semi final was some-what more straight forward with a win over Bute at Ballachulish at a very wet Ballachulish on 15 August 2009. Fort William booked their place in Final with a 4-1 win over Bute and making this the seventh consecutive season in which they have appeared in the final. The first half was goalless, but it was the Fort broke the deadlock 5 minutes into the second half when Gary Innes found the back of the net from the penalty spot after Victor Smith had been fouled in the area. Innes added a second 3 minutes later and he completed his hat-trick on 72 minutes when he beat several Bute defenders on a mazy run and slotted the ball past the keeper for a 3-0 lead. Hector Whitelaw pulled a goal back for Bute on 79 minutes but a Bryan Simpson strike on 82 minutes confirmed the current holders a place in the 2009 Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final.
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.