Kingussie 1 Skye Camanachd 0 | |
11 June 2023 It was their first senior cup final for 33 years but Skye fell just short as they lost 1-0 to holders Kingussie in the cottages.com MacTavish Cup Final at the Bught Park, Inverness on Saturday 10 June 2023. The squads were led onto the field in the sweltering heat by Robin Falconer from Kingussie and Ewen Grant from Skye whilst Martin MacLean was the match referee for this televised 4.05pm throw up. With Roddy Young still on the injury list, Kingussie manager Iain Borthwick opted to play Alexander Michie at full forward whilst Skye boss Kenny Macleod restored Ross MacKinnon to the starting line-up following an ankle injury. The grass was longer than both sides would have liked, and Skye opened hitting into a bright sun and it was Kingussie who created two early chances with James Falconer hitting the side-netting following his first sight at goal and Thomas Borthwick holding off a challenge before running at the Skye defence and shooting wide of target. A great Martin Pringle block prevented James Falconer from getting a shot at goal before Skye settled into the game without really troubling Rory McGregor in the Kingussie goal. The final was simmering nicely but it exploded into life midway through the first half with good chances at both ends. Skye’s Jordan Murchison ran in to steal the ball as Rory MacKeachan looked to clear Ruaraidh MacLeod’s low cross from the left. However, Rory McGregor was quickly off his line to get his body in the way of the Skye-man’s shot. Kingussie then went on a counter-attack and Murphy Henderson saved from James Falconer at the expense of a corner. When Ruaridh Anderson played the corner in from the right, James Falconer volleyed the ball into the net, but his effort was ruled out for offside. Falconer looked Kingussie’s best bet for a goal and he duly delivered a minute later after the Kings were awarded another corner on the right. Ruaridh Anderson played a similar low ball which evaded Thomas Borthwick but James Falconer, from a central position, slammed a superb shot into the top corner of the net, to the keeper’s left, to break the deadlock with 28 minutes played. Kingussie went for the kill and, from the restart, James Falconer’s effort was saved with his feet by Murphy Henderson and the Kingussie skipper fired over soon after. Skye fought back and Ruaraidh MacLeod forced a Rory McGregor save but the resultant corner came to nothing. The final flowed from end-to-end and Henderson saved again, this time from Thomas Borthwick whilst Skye had a good opportunity when they were awarded a free-hit at the front of the D when Jordan Murchison was impeded. Murchison rolled the ball back to Ross MacKinnon on the Skye right, but Rory McGregor made a fine parry above his head to keep out the strike. Murphy Henderson remained the busier keeper as he saved with foot from James Falconer before slapping the ball away for a corner. Kingussie had a half-hearted penalty claim when Liam Borthwick went down inside the D late in the half and after 4 minutes of first half stoppage time, referee MacLean brought the half to an end. Skye full forward Ruaraidh MacLeod just couldn’t get onto Ross Gordon’s straight ball forward, which bounced away on the fiery surface, as Skye tried to get back on level terms with what was the first opening of the second 45 minutes. Both captains had to leave the field for treatment within minutes of each other. Skye full back John Gillies was accidently caught underneath the side of the helmet by the end of Alexander Michie’s swing. Neil MacVicar came on in his place. Then Kingussie captain James Falconer was forced off after suffering a blow to the leg and Savio Genini took over. The Skye defence looked ropey without Gillies and Alexander Michie failed to turn home a rebound off Murphy Henderson, who had saved from Savio Genini, and the Kings went close again from the resultant corner. Both skippers returned after a few minutes with Alexander Michie and James Pringle coming off. The final moved into the final half-hour but wasn’t hitting the heights of the first half as a combination of the heat and several stoppages seemed to take some of the zip out of the contest. Kingussie remained in search of the goal that would put the final beyond Skye and Henderson saved by his right post to deny Thomas Borthwick before a much needed two-minute water break. Skye created a good opportunity when Jordan Murchison and Ruaraidh MacLeod combined but the latter couldn’t get a shot away under pressure from Alexander Michie. It was the Islanders’ last real chance of the afternoon. Referee Martin MacLean kept control throughout, and Skye’s William MacKinnon was rightly booked for a crude sliding challenge on Thomas Borthwick who broke free down the left with 10 minutes to go. Kingussie’s Lee Bain landed awkwardly and jarred his left knee, after earlier suffering a blow to his right knee, with 4 minutes to go and Alexander Michie came back on. Kingussie’s counter-attacking was causing Skye problems and Murphy Henderson saved by his right post from Ruaridh Anderson after his lung-busting run from his own half to get onto a Savio Genini flick. Skye had by now run out of ideas and keeper Murphy Henderson was called on once more, this time making a great save with foot from Alexander Michie as the final moved into stoppage time. The final whistle sounded to the delight of the Kingussie support and James Falconer raised the trophy and collected the coveted silver-mounted caman before the celebrations got underway. Kingussie did enough to retain the trophy, but Skye made them work for the victory and demonstrated a desire to compete for honours against the best sides in the game. Skye keeper Murphy Henderson was outstanding, but two crucial saves at important times in the final earned Kingussie keeper Rory McGregor the man of the match accolade which he can add to the Albert Smith Medal awarded after last season’s Camanachd Cup Final. Skye Camanachd boss Kenny MacLeod said: “We are talking wafer-thin margins at this level, and we had a couple of chances that may have gone in on another day. “The game came in waves, but the second half seemed to run away on us and despite our best efforts, we couldn’t score, Kingussie got a goal and that was the difference. “There were two excellent defences on show, shutting out two fine forward lines, and although their keeper Rory McGregor was named man of the match, I thought our goalie Murphy Henderson kept us in it at times. “I thought Robert Mabon was outstanding at full back for Kingussie and he had a good, clean battle with Ruaraidh MacLeod. “We are proud of our performance, but pride doesn’t win you trophies and I hope the boys now have a taste for this. Our average age is 22 and we want to be in finals like this more regularly.” Skye Camanachd from: Murphy Henderson: John Gillies (captain), Martin Pringle, James Morrison, William MacKinnon: Sam Macphee, Ross Gordon, Kenny Cushnie: Ross MacKinnon, James Pringle, Jordan Murchison, Ruaraidh MacLeod: subs Neil MacVicar, Ally “Cleodi” MacLeod, Ross Nicolson, Jamie Gillies, Iain MacLellan Kingussie from: Rory McGregor: Robert Mabon, Rory MacKeachan, Calum Grant, Kieran Macpherson: Fraser Munro, Liam Borthwick, Cameron Bremner: Ruaridh Anderson, James Falconer (captain), Thomas Borthwick, Alexander Michie: subs Lee Bain, Savio Genini, James Hutchison, Iain Fraser, Callum MacKintosh, Roddy Young Match Referee – Martin MacLean Goal Judges – Billy MacLeod & Archie Ritchie Click on the following link to watch Norman Strachan’s coverage of the final Click on the following link to watch Fiona MacDonald’s coverage of the final |