2010 Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final………….3 Days to Go. | |
15 September 2010 The Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final between Kingussie and Fort William takes place at the Bught Park Inverness on Saturday 18 September 2010. Kingussie’s road to the final has seen them stack up 15 goals whilst they have conceded only 2 which were both in the semi final against Kyles Athletic. Ronald Ross is their top scorer with 10 of the goals. Kingussie were beginning to look a stronger outfit when they swept aside Strathglass at Cannich in the second round of the competition in May 2010. First team manager Steve Borthwick left out youngsters Thomas Borthwick and Ryan Borthwick as punishment for playing in a local football match the Thursday before the game. The experienced Rory Fraser was used as a make-shift forward in the King’s side. Ronald Ross was the key man again, netting 4 goals. Rory Fraser and Craig Dawson scored the others. The quarter finals saw Kingussie head for Blairbeg to play Glenurquhart in the knowledge that they had won twice there already this season - in both the league and MacTavish Cup. Glenurquhart were on a tough run of fixtures having lost to Fort William and Newtonmore in their last two outings. However they had Lewis MacLennan back for this one. It was Kingussie who came out on top as a Ronald Ross double and a Ryan Borthwick strike gave them a 3-0 win and put them through to the last four. Ross scored his first just before the break and netted his second early in the second half. Ryan Borthwick completed the scoring 10 minutes from the end. Kingussie beat Kyles Athletic 6-2 to reach the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final. The sides met at the same stage last season with Kyles going through to the final following a replay after the first semi final was controversially abandoned with Kingussie leading 4-1. Kyles missed the influence of Donald Irvine, who won the Albert Smith medal in the 2009 final, as he is working abroad. Kyles full back Fraser MacDonald was given the unenviable task of marking Kingussie talisman Ronald Ross. Kingussie manager Steven Borthwick was unable to field Iain Borthwick from the start but Fraser Munro and Ally MacLeod returned to the side. The game was actually closer than the score suggests but clinical finishing from the King’s, including 4 goals from Ronald Ross, put his side through to the final. Ross got Kingussie off to a great start when he opened the scoring on 5 minutes with a blistering drive. Ross added a second on 13 minutes when he made space for himself before sending another rocket shot which powered into the net of the chest of Kenny MacDonald in the Kyles goal. Colin MacColl pulled a goal back for Kyles Athletic on 23 minutes but Thomas Borthwick restored Kingussie’s 2 goal advantage just 3 minutes later when he sent a great shot into the top corner of the net. Kyles enjoyed the early pressure in the second half and they worked the Kingussie defence. Kyles captain Roddy MacDonald made it 3-2 on 62 minutes and the King’s defence had a scare when Ally MacLeod was forced to clear a ball of the goal-line before but Ronald Ross completed his hat-trick 5 minutes later against the run of play to make it 4-2. This deflated Kyles and further strikes from Fraser Munro on 88 minutes and Ross’ fourth a minute from time, when he was left unmarked, gave the scoreline an unfair slant but you won’t hear anyone in Kingussie complaining. The Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final at the Bught Park, Inverness throws up at 2.20pm. Admission for a fantastic day’s shinty is £10 and £5 for concessions. The final will also be shown live on BBC2 Scotland where coverage starts at 2pm. Iain Anderson and Hugh Dan MacLennan are the match commentators. |