The newly sponsored MKM building supplies Oban Bullough cup final took place on the 27th August from Taynuilt sports facility with Kilmory and Glagow Mid Argyll juniors set to play for the South area junior championship.
The teams and a keen travelling support from both sides received a warm welcome to Taynuilt due to the combined efforts of the CA staff and volunteers from Taynuilts home club Cruachanside and the local play group committee ensuring the facility was ready for the final, a special thanks must go to Davie and Carol Thomson for their efforts on the day and with the after-match reception.
With the two teams a league apart there may have been an expectation that the lifting of the Bullough would be somewhat a formality for the more experienced GMA side against the young up and coming Kilmory side. As with most cup finals you can forget about form or stats and such likes and look forward to the here and now on the big day.
The game started with both sides trying to settle into their rhythm of play and it was GMA who got up to speed the quicker of the two with the experienced trio of Mark Bain Ross Brown and Seb Macmillan using the ever-willing running of Cailean Macinnes to create chances for each other in the opening 10 minutes but found Kimory goalkeeper Stevie Gilmour to be on top form. From then on Kilmory grew into the game and there were good tussles to be had all over the pitch with Kilmory’s youngsters running and battling for every ball with the experienced Alex Cunningham and Sandy Leiper trying to orchestrate the play, chances were being created at both ends with both goal keepers making good saves to keep the score line blank at half time.
The second half started at the same pace as the first and it was only 3 minutes into it when Aeden MacRae broke the deadlock to put GMA 1 up with a clean strike from the edge of the box.
The game continued to be played in good spirit at a high tempo and remained 1-0 due to some dogged defending and great Goal keeping from Kilmory. Both teams used their subs to try and freshen things up as the half wore on with Kilmory searching for the equaliser while GMA looked to extend their lead.
As the game entered the last 10 minutes of play and with Kilmorys resolute defending there was a sense around the ground that Kilmory might just sneak an equaliser that was until the reintroduced Ross Brown turned his man 25 yards out to the right of goal and hit a screamer beyond the outstanding Gilmour 6 minutes from time, this ended Kilmory’s hopes of taking the game to extra time.
GMA captain Jamie Macleod stepped up to lift trophy for the 2nd time in the club’s history 12 years after the club first lifted the trophy.
Credit must go to both clubs for providing the large crowd with an entertaining game of shinty in which Kilmory can be extremely proud of their young squad for making it to the Bullough final and giving there absolute all.
A special thanks goes to our match officials on the day who ensured smooth proceeding on the field of play with match referee Craig Scott ably assisted by goal judges John MacGregor and Murray MacGregor and linesmen Craig Scott and Kyle Macfarlane.