Iain, it’s the second final for you in your time in charge of Lovat, how are you looking forward to it?

Yes, not only am I looking forward to the day, all of us at the club are too. Finals are what you work hard for all season and they don’t come around often, so it’s important to enjoy the occasion. It’s another big day for the club, especially with it being Lovat’s first Balliemore Cup Final, and everyone involved is excited. We now want to go and give a good account of ourselves and hopefully get our hands on the cup!

How do you prepare for these finals?

To be honest, we try not to change too much. If you build it up too much, it can become a distraction. We’ll prepare the same way we have all season because that’s what’s got us here. We’ll make sure the boys know their jobs, are relaxed, and are ready to enjoy the occasion. Once the whistle goes, it’s just another game of shinty.

A lot of youngsters have been blooded into the first team this season, how important can the experience of a final be in their long term development?

It’s brilliant for them. You can talk about big games all you like, but you only really learn by playing in them. The experience of preparing for a final and exposure to the pressure that comes with it, all helps them develop. Some of them had this with the MacTavish final last year so hopefully they take that experience into this one. 

We’ve put a lot of faith in the younger boys this season and they’ve repaid that with some really good performances. Hopefully this is just the start for them and there’ll be plenty more finals to come! 

You will of course be without your top scorer ahead of Saturday, how confident are you that the other boys can step up to the mantle?

Losing any important player isn’t ideal, especially someone who’s scored as many goals as Graeme has, but we’ve never been about one player. Different lads have stepped up for us at different times this season, and I’m sure that’ll be the case again on Saturday. It’s a chance for someone else to come into the team and give me a headache, selection wise, for when Graeme comes back! I’ve got complete faith and trust in the group and I know whoever starts will give us absolutely everything.