Five alive for MacTavish Cup Kings

The first major final of the 2026 season took place at Bught Park, Inverness as holders Kingussie met Camanachd Cup champions Newtonmore. The two had already met earlier in the campaign in the league, Newtonmore winning that encounter 1-0, that meant Kingussie were in the unfamiliar position of coming into a game as not certified favourites, possibly for the first time since 2019. The boys at The Dell had eased past Lovat in the semi-finals while their rivals had prevailed on penalties against Caberfeidh after a thrilling 3-3 draw at Castle Leod.

The first ten minutes after referee Craig Scott started the game were without too much event, both sides trying to settle into a rhythm and begin to dictate play but cancelling each other out in their attempts to do so. A few minutes later though the crowd was treated to the first shot on target as Iain Robinson picked up the ball from Tristan Ross moved his marker back to the half-forward space and cracked a shot from distance, Rory ‘Bob’ McGregor proving equal to the shot and getting a strong right hand to it before putting it behind for a corner.

It was midway through the first half before Kingussie managed a shot on target, though it was well worth the wait, Thomas Borthwick’s shy into the area popped out to Ruaridh Anderson on the right flank who hit a forehand shot back across the keeper, Newtonmore goalkeeper Kenny Ross keeping it out superbly with the stick. That was the last major action of what was a tightly contested and physical first half, neither side really able to assert their dominance but each continuing to probe.

Lee Bain came on for Kingussie at half-time and within a minute he almost put Kingussie ahead, winning the ball back after a long ball from Zander Michie was picked up by a Newtonmore defender and letting fly from all of 35 yards, Kenny Ross’ leaping save proving equal to the great strike and sending half-time tea, pies and beer wobbling!

Finals are typically, by their nature, tight affairs and it is always hoped that a moment of magic is what defines them rather than an individual error and there is no question that Savion Genini’s 74^th minute strike was the former. Thomas Borthwick’s free hit was played down the left wing to Bain, his first time pass inside was flicked up by Genini and struck clean on the volley into the roof of the net.

Shortly after Bain had the ball in the back of the net again, however, it was ruled out due to a kick. The holders would get their second goal though, right on the brink of the full-time whistle, Bain again doing the hard yards down the left flank, his ball evading everyone in the middle and breaking to the right where captain Ruaridh Anderson was on hand to take a wonderful hit across the keeper and into the far corner. With barely a hit left to play and no time for Newtonmore to comeback, that goal sent the Kingussie supporters into raptures. At full-time it was Newtonmore’s Kenny Ross who was named the Tom MacKenzie Man of the Match – the stand at Bught Park had been unveiled as the Tom MacKenzie stand earlier that day in tribute to the great man. However, it was for Ruaridh Anderson to receive the W M Donald MacTavish Cup from Iain Gray of sponsors W M Donald and become the fifth Kingussie captain in as many years to raise it high to the delight of the crowd.

While the 2026 W M Donald MacTavish Cup Final might not be remembered as the most thrilling final in the competition’s 128-year history, however, it will be remembered for two fantastic strikes, the likes of which would be fit to grace any final. Congratulations to Kingussie and commiserations to Newtonmore.