2011 Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final …………. 4 Days To Go! | |
13 September 2011 Kingussie safely negotiated ties against Taynuilt, Marine Harvest South Division 1 champions Bute and last year’s Co-operative MacTavish Cup runners up Kilmallie on the way to this year’s final. Taynuilt 1 Kingussie 8 Taynuilt’s reward for a first round win over Inverness was a home match against last year’s runners up Kingussie. Taynuilt fancied a home draw against one of the big sides following their impressive first round victory and they don’t come much bigger than a visit from Kingussie. However there was to be no fairy-tail ending as the Kings ran out 8-1 winners. Taynuilt are coached by Fraser Inglis who enjoyed considerable success at Kingussie when he joined them as a player from Oban Camanachd so he was fully aware of the challenge which faced his side. The Kings’ influential defender Lee Bain picked up an injury against Kyles last week and he and Iain Borthwick were left on the bench and weren’t risked. Louis Munro was also out having missed recent games whilst Ally MacLeod had a hamstring problem. Taynuilt started well and it took a couple of Andrew Borthwick saves to keep the sides level before Stuart Scott gave the home side a shock 15 minute lead. However their delight was short-lived as Ronald Ross leveled a minute later and he went on to net a first half hat-trick with goals on 21 and 45 minutes coming either side of a 26 minute Thomas Borthwick goal strike which gave the Kings a 4-1 lead at the break. Kingussie introduced young Jake MacPherson, who played in their U14 side last year, and he played the whole of the second half. The visitors racked up another four goals in the second half – Ross got another three on 55, 70 and 88 minutes to take his personal tally to six and Thomas Borthwick got his second on 75 minutes to complete an 8-1 win. Bute 0 Kingussie 3 Kingussie dodged a potential banana skin when they beat Marine Harvest South Division 1 runaway leaders Bute 3-0 on Rothesay. The Islanders have a 100% record in the league this season and their confidence is such that Kyles Athletic needed extra-time to get past them in the Artemis Macaulay Cup. Kingussie managers Stevie Borthwick and Russell Jones didn’t have their problems to seek for this one. Thomas Borthwick, Ryan Borthwick and Martin Dallas all missed out as they were on holiday. The influential Louis Munro is out with a broken collar-bone. Garry Munro was suspended and James Hutcheson was working. Craig Dawson returned to the side and Kevin Thain kept his place after scoring a hat-trick in the 8-0 victory over Kilmallie last week. Last year’s captain Barry Dallas was also involved as was James MacLean but Ricky Grant was a late call-off. Ally MacLeod has been hampered by the recurrence of a hamstring problem and although he started in defence for the King’s, he was forced to leave the field of play after just 15 minutes. Just when it looked like the sides would go into the break all square, Kevin Thain scored a crucial opener 3 minutes from half time. Ronald Ross made it 2-0 just 10 minutes into the second half to give Kingussie a cushion and the Kingussie captain made it 3-0 on the stroke of full time to seal a place in the last four of shinty’s premier competition. Kingussie 6 Kilmallie 0 Throw up for the semi final between Kingussie and Kilmallie was delayed by 15 minutes to 3.45pm because of the extra-time played in the first semi final between Newtonmore and Inveraray but when the sides did take the field, they served up another cracker. Kingussie were without Iain Borthwick who has a broken bone in his foot and Louis Munro who is another long term injury absentee. Injury also ruled out Ally MacLeod whilst Kevin Thain was unavailable. Kilmallie suffered a double blow with striker John Stewart and defender Peter Carmichael both suspended. Martin Stewart remains on Kilmallie’s injury list but Alan MacDonald, Ross Lavin and Fraser Massie all returned. Defender Euan Stoddart took his place back in the side after rearranging his work commitments. In the end it took a powerful second half performance to see Kingussie come out on top as they eventually ran out 6-0 winners. Kilmallie played with the wind in the first half and they competed well and King’s keeper Andrew Borthwick made a couple of fine saves from Ross Lavin and Liam MacDonald. However it also took some outstanding stops from Kilmallie keeper Kevin Toye to keep the score level at the break and he denied both Martin Dallas and Ronald Ross. Kilmallie’s Michael Rodger had a good chance to score towards the end of the half but he blazed his shot over the bar. Kingussie exploded into action at the start of the second period and Ronald Ross put them ahead straight from the restart. Kingussie full centre Thomas Borthwick won the throw up and Craig Dawson slipped the ball to Ronald Ross who tucked the ball into the corner of the net. Ross went on to grab a 6 minute hat-trick with further strikes on 50 and 52 minutes to put the Kings 3-0 ahead. His second was a deflected shot which took a horrible bounce in front of keeper Kevin Toye before ending up in the back of the net. Ross then hit the post before grabbing his third which was a spectacular effort where he flicked the ball up before hitting a first time backhand shot into the net from a Craig Dawson cross. Craig Dawson netted on 58 minutes following good build up play involving Ronald Ross and Martin Dallas. Fraser Munro made it 5-0 on 70 minutes when he picked up a loose ball in the Kilmallie defence and crashed a shot into the roof of the net. Ross grabbed his fourth 8 minutes from time. Thomas Borthwick hit a great shot from distance which Toye could only chest away and Ross knocked the rebound into the net to give Kingussie a 6-0 triumph. The 2011 Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final between Newtonmore and Kingussie at the Bught Park, Inverness throws up at 2.30pm. |