Saturday 6^th September saw the return of the Mowi WCA Valerie Fraser Cup, the premium competition in the sport. It also saw the return to the big stage of two familiar foes, holders Lochaber and 2024 defeated finalists Badenoch. Ahead of the game, things could not have been much tighter between the two sides, tied on 20 points in the league at the end of the season with Badenoch vanquishing all others who came before them and Lochaber doing the double over their rivals.

Referee Steven MacLachlan threw the ball into the air to get the game underway, and within 3 minutes Lochaber had the ball in the back of the net, Leah Maxtone’s drilled ball into the centre was pushed home by Natalie MacDonald, however, the goal judge’s flag was raised for a correct offside decision to quell the red and white delight.

The next chance of the game came to Badenoch Kirsty Deans playing the ball down the line to Megan Ralph who danced inside nicely past her marker and lined one up from distance, it bobbled into the ground and skipped towards goal, but Gillanders was astute enough to stop with her feet and push it behind for a corner. Two minutes later, she would not be denied. A long free hit from Badenoch 9 was wonderfully flicked to the side by Ralph who then drilled a shot into the bottom right-hand corner, a wonderful display of Full-Forward play.

Just shy of the twenty-minute mark and Ralph came close to a second, Zoe Reid winning the ball from her marker inside the Lochaber half and feeding the ball into the goal scorer, she tried the same finish, but this time Gillanders was able to get across and make the stop. It would then be Lochaber’s turn to come close, Missy Howie picking the ball up from a free hit and giving it to Natalie MacDonald in the danger area, Badenoch defenders did enough to force her wide, but somehow she managed to find the half yard to flash a shot across goal from a tight angle, the ball whistling by the outside of the far post. Just.

Lochaber continued to crank up the pressure and a couple of minutes later, Elizabeth McGregor was called into action after Elaine Wink put in a full blooded challenge on a Badenoch defender 25 yards out, the ball breaking for her to drop a shot onto the keeper from distance, McGregor palming the ball down and then getting the vital block as Natalie MacDonald tried to force it home from close range. Both teams continued to exchange half chances but the resolute defending on show meant that there was no more scoring in the first half.

The first chance of the second half would go the way of Lochaber, Wink flashing a great ball across goal from the right flank, Maxtone arriving at the back post had a couple of swipes at it, but McGregor slapped it wide to keep her side ahead. Five minutes later and the same combination opened Badenoch up again, Wink slipping the ball into the path of the onrushing Maxtone with both her and McGregor challenging for the ball it popped up and agonisingly flew wide of the left-hand post.

It was Badenoch who would strike next though, a goal hit being snatched up by Ralph who aimed for the bottom right-hand corner, Gillanders managed to make the save but with the ball bouncing off her it was Hope Borthwick who was on hand to push the ball past her and into the empty net. Ralph almost made it two in twenty seconds with a good strike across goal, but Gillanders made a really smart stop to give Lochaber time to find their feet again.

As they second half pressed on Lochaber pushed for that all important goal to get them back into the game, however Badenoch stayed resolute at the back, a combination of strong defending and a couple of smart stops from McGregor keeping the red and white forwards at bay. Badenoch themselves continued to carry a threat on the counterattack but there would be no goals for either side in the remainder of the game with Steven MacLachlan bringing the final to an end at 2-0.

That meant Badenoch Captain Rhona MacIntyre would receive the Mowi Valerie Fraser Camanachd Cup from Jayne MacKay and lift it high into the air to the delight of the crowd at The Eilan with full-centre Rona Stewart also receiving the Player of the Match Award from Peter Gow – a great day for ‘The Girls at The Dell’!