Ballachulish Win 2013 Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup | |
28 July 2013 Ballachulish beat Lochcarron 3-1 after extra time in their 4.05pm throw up at Smith Park, Farr to lift the Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup for the third time. The final came too soon for Ballachulish captain Alan Clark who, despite fracturing his collar-bone in the semi-final victory over Lovat, went on to grab a hat-trick in the 4-3 extra time win. Lorne Brown was also injured in that game but he started in attack Lochcarron had David MacCuish, Andrew Slaughter and Gregor Cushnie back in their starting line up for the final and Sean MacCuish, who was an injury doubt, took a place on the bench. Scott Henderson had the first shot of the game after just 2 minutes but his effort was saved comfortably by Lochcarron keeper Peter MacKenzie. Henderson collected possession from MacKenzie’s deflected clearance but his second attempt went wide of target. An Andrew Slaughter free-hit was deflected into the path of Ross Brown on 3 minutes but his shot fizzed wide of goal. Balla keeper David MacPhee saved a Ross Brown shot from wide in the right after 14 minutes. Peter MacKenzie saved from Lorne Brown on 25 minutes after Brown got on the end of a Duncan MacDonald free hit as Balla started to come more into the game. Ballachulish took the lead on 28 minutes when Duncan MacDonald got past Arran Matheson and played the ball to Michael Slezas who spun past Michael MacMillan before slotting the ball low by Peter MacKenzie to make it 1-0. The rain starting to come down heavy on what was a bright, sunny day at Farr and John MacDonald did well to halt Gregor Cushnie after 32 minutes. Lochcarron manager Kenny Murray made a positional switch with full forward Ross Brown and buckshee forward Gregor Cushnie swapping roles. Crisdean Finlayson collected a Ross Brown pass and cut in from the right on 38 minutes but he tried to find Gregor Cushnie when he might have been better having a shot on goal. Balla suffered a blow when Lorne Brown was forced off with a hamstring injury on 41 minutes and Andrew Young came on in his place. Peter MacKenzie did well to dive across his goal to clear the danger after a long ball from Donald Wilson dropped in on the Lochcarron goal after 43 minutes. Calum Finlayson replaced Crisdean Finlayson at the start of the second half for Lochcarron. Just 3 minutes into the second half, Balla full back David Campbell became the first player to find his name into referee John Angus Gillies’ book when he caught Gregor Cushnie above the eye with his caman. Cushnie had to go off for treatment from Dr Helen Stewart and Crisdean Finlayson returned to the field of play in his place. Balla boss Craig Munro made his second substitution of the afternoon when youngster Cain MacPhee, who is son of keeper David MacPhee, replaced John Clark on 55 minutes. Gregor Cushnie returned to the field of play on 69 minutes in place of Douglas MacKenzie and he was immediately involved in the action as he wrestled with David Campbell for possession on the Lochcarron left. David MacCuish won the ball from Andrew MacDonald’s clearance and he picked out the unmarked Crisdean Finlayson with a forward pass. There seemed little danger as Finlayson allowed the ball to run across his body before sending an unstoppable swerving shot into the top left corner of David MacPhee’s net for a quite brilliant goal which left the teams all square after an hour. Mark Wilson became the second player to be booked for a cynical trip on Ross Brown after 62 minutes as the Lochcarron man broke free and headed for goal. Balla boss Craig Munro moved John MacDonald into attack. It was a positive move which was to reap positive rewards for the Jubilee Park side. Peter MacKenzie did well to keep out a John MacDonald drive from a Scott Henderson free hit on 73 minutes. David Bauermeister replaced Crisdean Finlayson for Lochcarron with 14 minutes of the regulation 90 minutes remaining. Ian MacKenzie became the first Lochcarron player to be booked for a barge on John MacDonald on 80 minutes. Peter MacKenzie did well to keep out a Donald Wilson shot a minute later as Balla started to dominate the final. Lochcarron’s Arran Matheson became the fourth player to be booked on 82 minutes. Seconds later, Peter MacKenzie saved from John MacDonald at the expense of a corner as Ballachulish continued to press however they were unable to get a winning goal so the final, just as with the three previous cup finals this season, went into extra time. Lochcarron suffered a blow when full back Ian MacKenzie took a knock when challenging Scott Henderson 4 minutes into extra time and he had to come off with Kenny Cushnie coming on in his place and Douglas MacKenzie going to full back. Lochcarron enjoyed most of the pressure during the first period of extra time without really testing David MacPhee in the Balla goal. A Ross Brown effort came back off the frame of the Balla goal as Lochcarron looked to get their noses in front. Balla attacked from the start of the second period of extra time they regained the lead on 111 minutes when Scott Henderson burst through the Lochcarron defence. His initial shot was saved by Peter MacKenzie but Henderson latched onto the rebound and he steered the ball through a ruck of players into the net to make it 2-1. Ballachulish sealed the win on 115 minutes when Scott Henderson found John MacDonald in space on the Balla right. MacDonald cut inside before taking a touch, steadying himself and tucking the ball low into the bottom left corner of Peter MacKenzie’s net to make it 3-1. The final was expertly controlled by referee John Angus Gillies and his final whistle sparked scenes of celebration in the Ballachulish camp. Balla’s David Campbell was selected as BBC Alba man of the match by television pundit Willie MacDonald. Balla’s John MacDonald and Lochcarron’s Peter MacKenzie were also serious contenders. Ballachulish from: David MacPhee, David Campbell, Andrew MacDonald, Mark Wilson, John MacDonald (captain), Donald Wilson, Elliot Wilson, John Clark, Scott Henderson, Michael Slezas, Duncan MacDonald, Lorne Brown, subs Eoin Fyfe, Grant Symmers, Andrew Young, Cain MacPhee, Stuart Robertson Lochcarron from: Peter MacKenzie, Ian MacKenzie, Johnny Stewart, Michael MacMillan, Arran Matheson, Nick Dalgety, Andrew Slaughter, David MacCuish, Gregor Cushnie, Crisdean Finlayson (captain), Douglas MacKenzie, Ross Brown, subs Calum Finlayson, David Bauermeister, Calum MacKay, Sean MacCuish, Kenny Cushnie Match Referee – John Angus Gillies Goal Judges – Archie Ritchie, Russell Ross Fourth Official – Neil Ferguson |