Shaggy and the gang win Ferguson Transport and Shipping Balliemore Cup
Kilmallie beat Lovat 4-3 at Spean Bridge after brace by man of the match Calum ‘Shaggy’ MacDougall
Spean Bridge was again the location for the Ferguson Transport and Shipping Balliemore Cup Final with the pitch in pristine condition and the weather fair but windy. Lovat went into the game 2nd in the Mowi National Division and having beaten local rivals Beauly 2-0 in their semi-final and while the Kiltarlity outfit had appeared in many finals, this would be their first taste of the Balliemore. For Kilmallie a win would equal Bute and Lochaber’s record of five Balliemore Cup victories and take the trophy back to Caol for the first time since 2008, they were 3-1 winners over Inveraray in the semis and sat 4th in the Mowi National.
Finals are typically cagey affairs with neither team keen to commit too much or give anything away too easily, however, just three minutes after Alec MacVicar had blown the whistle for the first time it was Kilmallie who took the lead, an Aidan Love shy skipping through to Martin Stewart on the left wing, his ball into the centre was touched down by Archie MacNiven before Calum MacDougall ran onto it from left to right and fired it hard and low past Ronan MacMillan in the Lovat goal. After that jolt of action, the game settled into a more familiar pattern with both teams exchanging half-chances without creating too much, that was until Lovat failed to clear a Kilmallie corner fully, Shane O’Rua picking the ball up to the left of the penalty spot and rifling home to double the Caol club’s advantage.
Two became three within a few minutes, MacDougall left unmarked in the centre as Kilmallie recycled the ball wide to Martin Stewart who unselfishly slipped in his fellow forward who made no mistake from the edge of the D. Three to the good at half-time is bordering on dreamland, but still there were some murmurs from the Kilmallie fans about the it being far from over – the two sides had met in the league the week before with Lovat snatching both points in the 90th minute despite Kilmallie going 2-0 up. The fears of a repeat of that were quelled somewhat though as ten minutes into the second half Kilmallie, now playing against the wind, scored their fourth of the game, when Stewart – who had a major hand in two of the previous three – battled against his marker in the centre of the park, earning the space to slip the ball through to MacNiven, the young forward staying composed and slipping the ball beyond the keeper.
Lesser clubs than Lovat may have collapsed with that fourth goal but to their credit they battled hard and begun playing the shinty that everyone has come to expect from them. They got their reward just five minutes later as Craig MacKinnon lofted a ball into Captain Marc MacLachlan, his delicate flick inside landing in the pathway of the onrushing Danny Kelly who put it away calmly to make it 4-1. Within seven minutes Kilmallie’s lead was reduced again, A Joe Embleton shot from wide was well saved by Alexander MacNiven, however, there was little he could do as the ball dropped to MacKinnon who took a touch into the D and then lifted it over the on rushing Kilmallie stopper. Danny Kelly would grab his second and Lovat’s third ten minutes from time after a smart ball from Thomas Fraser left the Scotland International room on the penalty spot, his composed finish into the bottom corner meaning it really was game on.
Lovat continued to put on pressure as they now faced both Kilmallie and the clock, there’s a famous phrase, ‘there’s always one last chance’ and there was, a penalty awarded after MacNiven fell on top of the ball in the box. That left Lovat with the opportunity to take the game into extra-time from the spot; however, Calum Cruden’s penalty didn’t find the target and Kilmallie were able to hang on for a famous victory.
Congratulations to Kilmallie who are 2026 Ferguson Transport & Shipping Balliemore Cup winners, Calum MacDougal was awarded the man of the match in honour of Captain Archibald Macra Chisholm by Jim Price and Roy MacKenzie from Strathglass Shinty Club but the ultimate honour was lifted high into the air by Kilmallie Captain, Innes Blackhall.
