Kingussie Win 2010 Artemis Macaulay Cup. | |
22 August 2010 Kingussie won the Artemis Macaulay Cup for the 25th time when they beat Inveraray 4-3 in the final at Mossfield, Oban on Saturday 21 August 2010. The clash was a repeat of last season’s final which was won by Inveraray and it also brought together the winners of the 2010 regional cup competitions – the Co=operative MacTavish and Glasgow Celtic Society Cups. Kingussie’s Ronald Ross missed last weekend’s win over Oban Camanachd with a knee injury but he returned for this one as did defender Iain Borthwick. Kingussie boss Stevie Borthwick made an interesting tactical switch, playing Ally MacLeod at full forward to match the physical presence of Inveraray full back Scott Robertson. This meant that Kingussie captain Barrie Dallas started on the bench. Inveraray boss John Smylie started with David MacPherson at wing centre after he missed most of the season through illness. Ruaraidh Graham started on the bench. Inveraray played with the wind in the first half and they created a great scoring opportunity in 3 minutes. Garry MacPherson dummied a Neil Andrew pass which allowed the ball to run through to Grant Griffin who found himself clean through on goal but his shot went past the post. Garry MacPherson fired over the bar after 9 minutes as Inveraray looked the more likely to score. The break-through came on 14 minutes when Kingussie keeper Andrew Borthwick stopped a good Russell MacKinlay shot with his legs and Neil Andrew pounced on the rebound to poke the ball over the line. Kingussie looked to have a great chance to level on 20 minutes when Ryan Borthwick ran clear on the Inveraray defence. However he was tripped by Alan MacDonald just outside the D and Kingussie only had a free-hit to show for their efforts and it came to nothing. Inveraray keeper Graeme MacPherson made an important double save from Ronald Ross on 23 minutes as the King’s hit-man came to life after making a quiet start to the game. A minute later action swung to the other end as Andrew Borthwick palmed away a looping David Robertson shot from distance. Borthwick made a great save with his caman from a low shot from Grant Griffin on 28 minutes. Ronald Ross was again denied by MacPherson on 33 minutes and an Ally MacLeod shot rose over the bar on 38 minutes as Kingussie pressed to get on level terms before the break. The last chance of the half fell to Inveraray’s Ewan MacMurdo but Borthwick made another great stop. Kingussie levelled the final on 52 minutes when Ronald Ross ran wide before bulleting a super shot into the top corner of the net. Ronald Ross and Ally MacLeod combined on 55 minutes and MacPherson made a fantastic save from 17 year old Thomas Borthwick. A minute later Andrew MacMurdo was booked by referee Billy Wotherspoon for a trip on Kingussie full centre Ricky Grant. Inveraray took Ruaraidh Graham on in place of the tiring David MacPherson. Ronald Ross had moved to full forward and he had several clashes with Inveraray full back Scot Robertson. One such flash-point on 62 minutes saw Robertson booked for persistent fouling and Ross was yellow carded for his reaction to the challenge. There was a controversial moment 2 minutes later when Ricky Ross fired in a first-time shot and Ross smashed the rebound into the net. However the goal was ruled out for offside when it looked as if the Kingussie forward had timed his run well. Grant Griffin was sandwiched between Kingussie defenders Gary Munro and James Hutchison on 65 minutes when he burst through on goal. This earned the defenders a ticking off from the referee. On 71 minutes, Ally MacLeod turned his marker and sent a sizzling shot towards the top corner but MacPherson stretched to tip the ball to safety with his caman for a fabulous save. Borthwick had to palm another David Robertson shot to safety on 77 minutes and Grant Griffin volleyed the rebound wide. Ronald Ross played in Lee Bain, who had pushed forward, on 80 minutes but he kicked the ball as he headed goalwards. Inveraray went ahead for a second time a minute later. King’s full back Gary Munro looked to have a ball down the Inveraray right under control but he was dispossessed by Russell MacKinlay who went on to beat Borthwick and put his side 2-1 up. Inveraray’s lead only lasted 3 minutes though. Ronald Ross received a pass down the Kingussie right flank and dummied his marker Scott Robertson before making enough space to fire a low, bouncing, back hand shot inside MacPherson’s left post to make it 2-2. Inveraray’s Ewan MacMurdo was booked in injury time for speaking out of turn as the final went in to extra time. Kingussie took on captain Barrie Dallas in place of Ally MacLeod in attack. Kingussie went ahead for the first time just 30 seconds into extra time. A long ball was played forwarded to Ronald Ross and he turned Douglas Dando and slipped the ball past the on-rushing MacPherson. Kingussie went 4-2 up on 98 minutes. Thomas Borthwick played a good ball in from the right and Ronald Ross turned his marker before firing a back-hand shot, low into the net. Inveraray were in no mood to give up though and just seconds before the end of the first period of extra-time, Russell MacKinlay crashed a piledriver into the roof of the net to make it 4-3. Ronald Ross played in Ryan Borthwick a minute into the second period of extra time but he couldn’t find the target. Graeme MacPherson saved a Thomas Borthwick shot above his head a minute later. Ronald Ross burst through on goal on 112 minutes but he couldn’t get a shot in and appeared to be upended. Kingussie introduced Greg MacRae – back following a face injury – in place of Ricky Grant and Craig Dawson for Paul Gow as they looked to see out the remainder of the game. A lung-bursting Thomas Borthwick run from the left in the final minute was halted when he was tripped just outside the D and the King’s couldn’t take advantage of the set piece. So Kingussie add the Artemis Macaulay Cup to the Co-operative MacTavish Cup won earlier in the season. The Grand Slam is still on although the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup looks a better option than the Scottish Hydro Premier Division at this stage. Kingussie keeper Andrew Borthwick was named man of the match for producing some great saves. However he must have been run close by Inveraray keeper Graeme MacPherson and 4 goal hero Ronald Ross. |