Co-operative MacTavish Cup Final – Kilmallie 4 Kingussie 5. | |
20 June 2010 Kingussie won the 2010 Co-operative MacTavish Cup with 5-4 win over Kilmallie in an incident packed final at the Bught Park, Inverness at the Bught Park, Inverness on Saturday 19 June 2010. Scottish Hydro Premier Division side Kingussie came into the final with 26 previous victories under their belt whilst Kilmallie in comparison just had the 4 successes. However the side from Caol might be playing their shinty in Marine Harvest North Division 1 but they had already demonstrated their ability by knocking Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup winners Fort William out of the tournament at the semi final stage. Kilmallie had a full squad to pick from which left their management team of Peter Jackson, John Morrison and Lachie Innes with decisions to make on whom to leave out. Kingussie manager Stevie Borthwick and his assistant Russell Jones had problems in defence. Keeper Andrew Borthwick has been playing with a knee injury for some weeks now whilst defenders Ally MacLeod (broken thumb) and Greg MacRae (fractured cheek-bone) were ruled out. Louis Munro failed to recover from a blow to the shin sustained in the previous week’s win over Newtonmore. Ian Borthwick started at wing back and 44 year old veteran Rory Fraser came into the side to try and win a record-breaking 14th MacTavish Cup winners medal. Lee Bain was feeling the effects of a recent muscle problem and he started on the bench. The teams were cheered on to a sunny Bught Park by a decent crowd considering the other shinty matches which were going ahead at the same time and the fans in the main stand hardly had times to settle in to their seats before Kingussie took the lead. As Kingussie broke forward, Kilmallie defender Iain Robertson had a chance to clear the ball but it seemed to get under his feet and he fluffed his clearance. Ronald Ross capitalised and laid the ball off to Ryan Borthwick and he sent a good shot goalwards. Kilmallie keeper Kevin Toye tried to stop his effort with his hand but ended up deflecting the ball into the back of the net. Kilmallie were playing with a Bught Park breeze at their backs and their response was immediate as a Michael Rodgers rocket shot was well saved by Andrew Borthwick with is stick to his right. With Kilmallie pressing, it was Kingussie who increased their lead on 11 minutes albeit somewhat against the run of play. Good skills from Ryan Borthwick on the right created a chance for himself but as he bored in on goal, the ball was cleared for a corner. Ronald Ross won the ball in the air from the corner, was allowed the space to turn and he gave Toye no chance as he crashed an unstoppable backhand shot into the roof of the net. A good John Stewart run set up a chance for Fraser Massie but Borthwick saved well with his feet and cleared for a corner. Kilmallie didn’t have to wait long to get back in the game. Michael Rodgers collected a pass on the right on 17 minutes and played in Fraser Massie who neatly cut the ball back to Liam MacDonald. He sent a great strike which beat Borthwick at his right hand post to make it 2-1. Kingussie lost wing centre Paul Gow on 20 minutes when he seemed to suffer a blow to the chest. He received treatment off the park for a full 5 minutes before former Strathglass player Lee Bain came on in his place. Kilmallie tried to capitalise on their extra man advantage on 23 minutes. Fraser Massie, John Stewart, and Michael Rodgers combined but Stewart’s shot went wide of target. With half an hour played, and the Kingussie forward line continuing their usual tactic of inter-changing position, Toye saved well with his left foot from Ross and Ewan Stoddart cleared the danger. A big clearance out of defence from Garry Munro on 31 minutes sent the ball into the heart of the Kilmallie defence. Ronald Ross clicked Martin Graham as he tried to clear the danger to win possession and he played in Ryan Borthwick who passed to Fraser Munro on the right. Ross brought down Munro’s cross but as Robertson tried to clear his lines, Ross regained possession and burst past 3 Kilmallie defenders before coolly slipping the ball past Toye to make it 3-1. Kilmallie turned defence into attack on 41 minutes and Rodgers laid the ball off to Ross Lavin but he couldn’t get his shot on target. A turn and shot from Rodgers on the stroke of half time was deflected by John Stewart and Borthwick spread himself to make a brilliant diving save with his hand to preserve his side’s 2 goal advantage. One can only assume that Kilmallie received a half time talk from John Morrison which was something between a “Mr Motivator” speech and a Sir Alex Ferguson “hairdryer” as they restarted the second half apace and pulled a goal back within 2 minutes to make it 3-2. A clearance from Toye found Liam Cameron on the right of midfield. He played a great ball forward from wing centre which found Rodgers and his reverse pass gave John Stewart the chance to shoot and Borthwick seemed to stumble as he couldn’t keep the ball out with his feet. John Stewart shot wide a couple of minutes later as Kilmallie looked to level the game. Kingussie suffered a setback on 52 minutes when Iain Borthwick needed treatment after receiving an accidental blow to the chest and he was replaced by Ricky Grant a couple of minutes later. Michael Rodgers ran across the King’s defence on 53 minutes before his shot was blocked. The ball fell for Fraser Massie who sent a thunderbolt goalwards but Borthwick made a brilliant save, diving low to his right to keep the ball out. Martin Stewart came on for Liam Cameron on 56 minutes. A minute later Liam MacDonald burst forward on a great run through the heart of the King’s defence. Rodgers touched the ball to the left but his shot went wide of target as Kilmallie started to turn the screw. Kilmallie levelled the game at 3-3 on 58 minutes. A John Stewart free hit from the left looked harmless enough as it drifted to the Kings left. Keeper Borthwick ran from goal to try and clear but he was dispossessed by Michael Rodgers who gleefully dispatched the ball into the back of the net. Liam MacDonald was fouled as he ran in on goal after 62 minutes and Michael Rodgers was booked for his part in the incident. John Stewart played a great pass to Fraser Massie on 64 minutes. Borthwick did well to stop his shot with his stick but Rodgers pounced on the rebound and held the ball up expertly before playing a perfectly weighted pass to Liam MacDonald who hammered the ball high into the net to put Kilmallie ahead for the first time in the game. Kilmallie had a penalty shout on 66 minutes, claiming a kick by keeper Borthwick when keeping out a Rodgers shot at the expense of a corner. However television replays showed the decision to award a corner by Goal Judge Robert Morrison and Referee Billy Wotherspoon to be correct. Rory Borthwick picked up an injury during the incident and with just over 20 minutes to go; the injuries were starting to tot up for a toiling Kingussie side. A Ross shot on 73 saved by Toye and cleared for shy. The hit in was only cleared as far as Ryan Borthwick and the 17 year old knocked a bouncing ball across the penalty spot before crashing a glorious shot into the roof of the net. Alan MacDonald replaced Martin Graham for Kilmallie on 76 minutes. Ronald Ross caused havoc in the Kilmallie defence on 77 minutes but his effort came off a Kilmallie leg for a corner. Mark MacPherson was pushed forward with 10 minutes remaining and he shot just wide when set up by Stewart. Ross threatened again a minute later but he was crowded out as the game swung from end to end. Peter MacIntyre replaced Mark MacPherson on 82 minutes. Rory Fraser replaced by Greg Dawson at the same time and the veteran can be pleased with his contribution. Toye saved well with his feet from Ross a minute as players on both sides were bringing to visibly tire in the heat. Borthwick dealt calmly with a cross into the D on 85 minutes before palming the ball before clearing for a corner. Kingussie substitute Lee Bain won possession on the left, played in Ross, turned marker and shot whizzed past Toye’s post. Kingussie were starting to look the likelier to grab a winner and the final looked as if it would be settled by either a bit of brilliance or a mistake. Unfortunately for Kilmallie keeper Toye, it was the latter. With just 2 minutes to go. Ronald Ross brought down a corner from the left and Toye had the opportunity to clear the ball. He however took a fresh air shot which left the onrushing Ross with the simplest of tasks to knock the ball into the open goal. Kilmallie tried to fight back but Kingussie stood firm In injury time, Ross played the ball into the D and Toye missed his clearance and ended up inadvertently kicking the ball for a penalty. Ryan Borthwick was keen to take it and complete his hat-trick. However Ross took responsibility and although he hit the ball cleanly enough, his effort went just wide of Toye’s right post. Seconds later Referee Billy Wotherspoon, who did very well in his first senior final, blew the final whistle to spark Kingussie celebrations. Kilmallie’s 2 goal Liam MacDonald won the Tom MacKenzie man of the match award. His team mate Michael Rodgers and Kingussie’s Ronald Ross must have run him close. Kingussie did well to fight back and win the game, especially when you consider their injury problems and leads lost in recent cup finals. Kingussie captain Barry Dallas received the silver mounted caman and lifted the first trophy of the season. Kilmallie’s only failing was their lack of belief in the opening 15 minutes but they should be immensely pleased with their contribution to an enthralling final and they did their community and Marine Harvest North Division 1 proud. Kilmallie from: Kevin Toye, Iain Robertson, Martin Graham, (Alan MacDonald), Ewan Stoddart, Peter Carmichael, Liam Cameron, (Martin Stewart), Ross Lavin, Mark MacPherson, (Peter MacIntyre), Michael Rodgers, John Stewart (captain), Liam MacDonald, Fraser Massie Kingussie from: Andrew Borthwick, Garry Munro, Iain Borthwick, (Ricky Grant), James Hutchison, Rory Fraser, (Craig Dawson), Fraser Munro, James MacLean, Paul Gow, (Lee Bain), Barry Dallas (captain), Thomas Borthwick, Ryan Borthwick, Ronald Ross, Referee: Billy Wotherspoon, Oban Goal Judges: Robert Morrison, Billy MacLeod |