The draw for the 2017 Artemis Macaulay Cup will be made live on Oban FM on Saturday 17 December 2016.
The draw will start at 6pm and will be the main feature on Oban FM’s Sports View programme.
The tournament has its own unique format where the top eight placed league teams from the North and South at the end of each season qualify for an area knock-out draw which culminates in a North v South final at Mossfield.
The Artemis Macaulay Cup was first presented by then Oban Times Editor Flora Macaulay in 1947 when Newtonmore were the first winners and they have gone on to record eleven triumphs – the last being in 2015. However Kingussie have won the trophy most times with the last of their twenty three wins coming in 2010. Kyles Athletic have lifted the trophy twelve times.
Kinlochshiel are the current holders. Their 5-3 victory over Inveraray this year was their first major trophy success.
The sixteen qualifying teams are all the same as last season.
The South will be represented by:
Aberdour are one of the newer sides to this competition. They were probably given the toughest draw in the South last season – away to Kyles Athletic. They lost that match 8-0 and will be hoping for a more favourable pairing this term.
Ballachulish may have dropped down to shinty’s third tier for next season but Donald Wilson’s side will be keen to test their young players against higher division competition.
Bute beat Oban Celtic in the first round last year after a replay and they were only edged out 3-2 by finalists Inveraray at the quarter final stage. They will be difficult opponents whoever they draw this time around; especially on their own pitch.
Glasgow Mid Argyll could be one of the dark horses in the race to reach the 2017 Macaulay Cup Final. Their second place finish in the Marine Harvest National Division last season has earned them another crack at the game’s top flight. GMA reached the quarter-finals last year before being swept aside by Kyles Athletic.
Inveraray have a good recent record in the Macaulay Cup and they first won the trophy in 2001. Further successes followed in 2008 and 2009 and they powered through to the final last year, beating Oban Camanachd, Bute and Kyles Athletic along the way. The final proved a step too far though and their last success in 2009 saw them defeat Kingussie 4-3. A Ronald Ross hat-trick that day had Kingussie 3-1 ahead but two from Garry MacPherson and a Scott Robertson goal levelled the final at 3-3 before Grant Griffin popped up to score an injury time winner.
Kyles Athletic were the last South winners of the Macaulay Cup. This was in 2013 when they beat Newtonmore 4-3 after a superb final. ‘More’s Danny MacRae twice cancelled out goals from Thomas Whyte and Roddy MacDonald. David Zavaroni put Kyles 3-2 in front only for Glen MacKintosh to draw Newtonmore level for a third time. A second goal from Roddy MacDonald on 72 minutes proved to be the winner.
Oban Camanachd’s most recent appearance in the final was in 2012 when they lost to Glenurquhart. The last of their five competition wins came in 1995 when they beat Fort William 2-1 with goals from Dougie MacIntyre and Gussie Campbell wiping out Deek Cameron’s effort. The low-point of Oban Camanachd’s successful 2016 season came in this tournament as they lost 3-2 to finalists Inveraray in the first round at Mossfield.
Oban Celtic will look to take the momentum from their 2016 Marine Harvest South Division 1 success into this coming year. They have five Macaulay Cup wins to their name, including a particularly fruitful period in the 1960s when they came out on top in 1961, 1964, 1965 and 1969. Their other success – their first – came in 1950.
The North teams to go into Saturday’s draw are:
When Fort William lifted the 1991 Macaulay Cup, it was an historic victory for the An Aird club; their first senior success. The side, captained by Astie Cameron, faced Oban Camanachd in the final after beating top sides Kingussie and Skye Camanachd along the way. The final was tied at a goal apiece after extra-time so the outcome was decided on penalties. It eventually took sixteen penalties to separate the sides before Drew Mcneil scored the crucial sudden death penalty after failing to convert during the initial round of spot-hits. The final was refereed by Jimmy Kerr, who also refereed the 1992 Camanachd Cup Final, and is a brother of current referee Dunkie Kerr.
Glenurquhart have also much to thank the Macaulay Cup for as this tournament was also their first senior success in 2012. Their run that year saw them get past Kilmallie, Kingussie and Fort William before beating Oban Camanachd 6-0 in the final.
Record winners Kingussie enjoyed their last success in 2010 with a 4-3 extra-time win over Inveraray. All four Kingussie goals that day were scored by Ronald Ross with Neil Andrews and a Russell McKinlay brace counted for Inveraray. Last year’s tournament ended in the first round following a narrow 2-1 defeat to rivals Newtonmore at the Dell.
Holders Kinlochshiel will go into this year’s competition with confidence. They secured a first senior trophy in 2016 when they beat Inveraray 5-3 in the final at Mossfield.
Lochaber would dearly love a Macaulay Cup success. A first round 5-3 defeat to Lovat at Balgate ended their interest last year. They were also edged out in the opening round - 3-2 by Kingussie at Spean Bridge - in 2015.
Lovat last won the tournament in 1953 when their record-breaking team swept the boards. After impressive wins against Lochaber and Newtonmore last season, they went down 3-0 to Kinlochshiel in the semi-finals.
Newtonmore were 2015 winners, beating Inveraray 3-1 in the final. Evan Menzies and two from Steven MacDonald counted for Newtonmore with Lewis MacNicol getting the Inveraray goal. ‘More lost out to Lovat in the second round last year and the Artemis Macaulay Cup was the only first team trophy they failed to win in 2016. They will start this year’s tournament as one of the favourites.
Skye Camanachd’s reward for a 1-0 first round win over Glenurquhart at Blairbeg last season was a home meeting with neighbours Kinlochshiel. ‘Shiel were 4-3 winners following a thrilling cup tie and it was their closest match on the way to lifting the trophy. Skye will have new co-managers Willie Cowie and Peter Gordon at the helm for the first time this season the Islanders and Fort William are the only two North clubs who will play in both the Macaulay and Balliemore Cups in 2017.
The 2017 Artemis Macaulay Cup Final will take place at Mossfield on Saturday 19 August 2017.