The 2012 Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final between Inveraray and Kyles Athletic takes place at Mossfield, Oban on Saturday 15 September 2012.
Inveraray’s route to the final saw them take two Orion Group Premiership scalps along the way but Marine Harvest North Division 1 Strathglass were first up.
Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup – Second Round
Saturday 2 June 2012
Inveraray 4 Strathglass 0
Strathglass put up a good fight in their 3pm meeting with Inveraray at the Winterton before eventually going down 4-0. Inveraray can be a formidable outfit on their own pitch but a battling first half performance from the visitors kept the tie scoreless at the break. However Chris Crawford scored twice on 47 and 84 minutes to put Inveraray 2-0 in front. Garry MacPherson added a third on 75 minutes and Ruairidh Graham rounded off the 4-0 win with a goal on full time.
Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup – Quarter Final
Saturday 14 July 2012
Kilmallie 2 Inveraray 3
Inveraray had to work hard to get by a determined Kilmallie side in their 1.30pm throw up at the Canal Parks. Kilmallie were without some first team regulars for their defeat to Kingussie the previous week but forward Michael Rodger returned for this one. However Martin Stewart started a two match suspension for a points accumulation. Inveraray were left smarting from their shock 4-3 Artemis Macaulay Cup semi-final defeat to Oban Camanachd the previous weekend and they missed two penalties in that tie. Andrew MacMurdo put the visitors ahead on 26 minutes and Chris Crawford added a second 4 minutes before the break. Kilmallie’s Ryan Stewart pulled a 57 minute goal back before Crawford got his second from the penalty spot on 68 minutes to restore Inveraray’s two goal advantage. Michael Rodger reduced the deficit to a single goal once again after 73 minutes but Inveraray held on for a final four spot. Kilmallie captain John Stewart suffered a head knock which later required several stitches.
Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup – Semi Final
Saturday 4 August 2012
Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup – Semi Final
Kinlochshiel 1 Inveraray 3
Inveraray were the first side through to next month’s Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final as they beat Kinlochshiel 3-1 at the reopened An Aird. Kinlochshiel manager Johnston Gill led his team into their biggest match ever bar none and he had decisions to make ahead of the tie. Defender John Don MacKenzie injured a thigh muscle in the recent league defeat to Newtonmore. The young defender had to leave the field after an accidental clash with ‘More’s Glen MacKintosh and whilst it was initially hoped that he might only be missing for a couple of weeks, the muscle damage to his leg is worse than initially estimated and he will likely miss the rest of the season. David Falconer continued to deputise and he has played well for the west coast side this season. Graham Kennedy was the other big miss for Gill following the keeper’s red card against Glenurquhart in their last outing. Scott Kennedy, who is coincidently Graham’s brother, came into the side in his place. Colin MacDiarmid was called into the ‘Shiel squad and he started on the bench. Inveraray were missing captain Scott Robertson and forward Euan McMurdo last weekend whilst Davie MacPherson was rested as they beat Lovat 4-1. However manager John Smylie will had all three back for this one although Robertson started on the bench. However Smylie was without Russell MacKinlay so Ruairidh Graham joined Garry MacPherson, Chris Crawford and Euan McMurdo in attack. Throw up was at 4.05pm so the whole match could be shown LIVE on BBC Alba. Billy Wotherspoon was the match referee. Two goals in the first 4 minutes gave Inveraray the early advantage. First Garry MacPherson slotted the ball low into the corner of the net following a poor clearance from the ‘Shiel defence with less than two minutes played. Inveraray went 2-0 up after just 4 minutes when Euan McMurdo got on the end of a flowing move which started when Davie MacPherson played a long ball out of defence. Ruairidh Graham collected possession on the right and passed to Chris Crawford who swept the ball to Euan McMurdo and he blasted the ball into the roof of the net, giving stand-in keeper Scott Kennedy no chance. However ‘Shiel recovered from their nervous start and first Finlay MacRae collected a ball from his brother John MacRae, turned his marker and bulleted a shot off Graham MacPherson’s right post. A minute later they pulled a goal back as Keith MacRae capitalised on a mistake by Inveraray keeper Graham MacPherson. John MacRae won the ball in midfield and played it out to Fraser MacVicar on the ‘Shiel right. MacVicar played a first time pass to the edge of the D and Inveraray keeper Graham MacPherson seemed to have the ball covered but he missed his hit and Keith MacRae nipped in to steer the ball into the net to make it 2-1. ‘Shiel finished the first half strongly but they were unable to achieve parity. The killer goal came 6 minutes into the second half when a reverse pass from Chris Crawford cut open the ‘Shiel defence and Euan McMurdo rolled the ball past Scott Kennedy to make it 3-1. The remainder of the game was stop-start and never flowed as much as the first period which suited Inveraray and they held onto their two goal advantage and they now have a place in the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final to look forward to.
Tickets for the 2012 Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final are priced at £10 for adults, £5 for concessions and Under 12s get in free!
If you are unable to get to the game, the whole match will be shown live on BBC2 Scotland. Coverage starts at 2.15pm and commentary comes from Hugh Dan MacLennan and Fort William and Scotland forward, Gary Innes.