Kingussie Primary School Coach Davie Anderson has thanked Portree Primary School for the “tremendous sporting gesture” offered to his team at the weekend.
Portree Primary School had beaten Kingussie Primary School 3-1 in the North Final of the Tulloch League in an exciting match in Lochcarron on Tuesday 23 June 2009.
Portree found out later in the week that their opponents in the National Final, Oban side Rockfield Primary School, were unable to make the journey to Kiltarlity on Saturday 27 July 2009 meaning that in effect Portree were National Tulloch League champions for the first time.
However Portree coach Willie Cowie contacted Anderson, explained the situation and said that he still wished the Cup Final to take place and asked Kingussie would be interested in participating.
Anderson agreed to help out his former Scottish Shinty / Hurling international colleague and agreed to provide the opposition.
Anderson initially thought he was just there to provide opposition for a last game but was stunned when Cowie called back to confirm that the Schools Camanachd were happy with the situation and that the game would actually be for the Tulloch League National Final Trophy.
“This has been going round in my head ever since,” said Anderson “and all I can say is this has without doubt been the greatest sporting gesture ever offer to me in shinty.”
He added, “The Portree team is as good a school team as I have ever seen and beat us 8-0 but that detracts nothing from the sportsmanship offered by Coach Willie Cowie and Head Teacher John Finlayson to Kingussie Primary School. Thanks very much from all involved with Kingussie Primary School Shinty Team.”
Davie Anderson is one of the best players ever to grace a shinty field. Indeed in Hugh Dan MacLennan’s excellent 'Lean gu Dluth' shinty programme on BBC ALBA, some on the panel of shinty enthusiasts rated his contribution to the game to be greater or at least on par with the achievements of Ronald Ross. Anderson has won every honour in the game and Kingussie Primary School, and in turn Kingussie Camanachd, will no doubt benefit from his caching work in the coming years.