Lovat Lift 2014 Lovat Cup – Lovat 4 Beauly 1 | |
07 January 2014 Lovat came out on top in the Annual Lovat Cup clash with local rivals Beauly at Balgate on Thursday 2 January 2014. Beauly made the short journey to Kiltarlity as holders following their 2-1 win at Braeview Park in January 2013 when a Barrie MacDonald penalty gave them their first triumph since 2007. A Greg Matheson double helped Lovat to a 3-1 win at a wintery Balgate in 2012. Matheson was also to prove to be a key figure a year earlier when, with Beauly just seconds away from lifting the trophy, an injury time strike from the Scotland U21 captain gave Lovat a 2-2 draw and they retained the trophy as holders. Greg Matheson was again to feature prominently in this year’s 1pm throw up. Conditions were good at Balgate despite the recent inclement weather and the usual large crowd from across the shinty community gathered for one of the most anticipated fixtures in the shinty calendar. Beauly defender Scott MacLeod was sidelined by an injury which kept him out of action for the latter part of the 2013 shinty season. Dougie Blain was another Beauly absentee. There was a place in the Lovat squad for former Skye Camanachd player Iain Nicolson. The match started in spectacular fashion with two goals in the opening three minutes. There seemed little danger when Beauly’s Calum Morrison played the ball into the danger-area but a slip from Lovat’s Scotland goalie Stuart MacDonald allowed the ball to creep over the line and the visitors went 1-0 in front. However just 60 seconds later, the home side were level and it was Greg Matheson who turned the ball past Beauly keeper MacKay Murray to make it 1-1. Competition rules meant that a draw would allow Beauly to retain the trophy as holders so Lovat knew that they needed to attack and they went in front for the first time in the game through Ryan Ferguson after 15 minutes. Lovat took their single goal lead into the interval but the second half was just a minute old when they increased their advantage, with Greg Matheson again doing the damage to make it 3-1. Lovat now had the bit between their teeth and it was no surprise when Kevin Bartlett made it 4-1 on 65 minutes. Referee Graham Cameron’s final whistle signalled celebrations in the Lovat camp as captain Callum Cruden was presented with the Lovat Cup. |