Image courtesy of Kevin McGlynn

McGregor heroics see Kingussie over the line in ding-dong Macaulay Cup Final

On Saturday 23^rd August, two familiar foes took to the field at Mossfield Park, Oban to compete for the Macaulay Cup. Kingussie the holders had won 13 of the last 14 trophies available to them coming into this game, though the one triumph absent was delivered to them in this competition at the hands of their opponents, Oban Camanachd who won the 2023 final. The red and blacks bested Glasgow Mid Argyll 3-1 in the semi-final a month earlier, while Kingussie defeated their neighbours Newtonmore 3-0 at Braeview Park. There was an air of excitement ahead of the game with a sense that this final really could go either way, the two sides played out a 1-1 draw in the league back in May and only one point separated them at the top of the Mowi Premiership.

Jamie MacPherson threw the ball up at a busy Mossfield to get the final underway and the opening period saw both teams feeling their way into the match with tentative forays into the opposition half but not truly dominating or creating major chances. The first shot of the game was created by Ruaridh Anderson’s industry in stealing the ball from the half back and running it on to Dylan Borthwick who, with his back to goal 25 yards out, created a yard and bounced a shot towards Cammy Sutherland, the Oban stopper making an expected save with his feet. Thirty seconds later though it was 1-0 to Kingussie, a shy from the centre of the park was stopped by the Camanachd back, however, Fraser Munro was quickest to the ball as it popped up in the air, taking the ball under his spell and firing high into the net from 20 yards.

Camanachd didn’t let going one down affect them though and a minute later forced Rory ‘Bob’ McGregor into a great save, Ross Campbell latching onto a good cross-field ball and laying it into the path of brother Scott, his long range drive was well saved by McGregor and though he found himself out of position when the ball was recycled, his defence was able to do the rest and get the ball clear. The ball wouldn’t stay clear though and Daniel MacCuish got a looping shot away from the centre of the pitch, McGregor again proving equal to it with a smart palm and volley clearance.

As the half progressed Oban Camanachd continued to grow into the game and were creating more frequent and better-quality chances than Kingussie who weren’t helped by the loss of Robert Mabon and Rory MacKeachan through injury. The defence, and especially McGregor stood strong though, his best moment came just a minute before the break, Oban’s Scott Campbell battling well, pushing the ball into Ross Campbell who slipped it out wide to MacCuish, his strike was as pure as you would hope, across McGregor towards the far corner, but the keeper’s lightning fast reactions prevented it from being the equaliser.

Understandably after a frenetic first half, it took the players on both sides a little longer to get going in the second, the first major chance of the half falling the way of Oban Camanachd as a free hit from Daniel MacVicar fell into the path of Lewis Cameron on the edge of the D, his shot though was swept up and over the bar. A few minutes later and Kingussie were inches from doubling their advantage, Roddy Young dragging his man back and forth on the right wing, creating half a yard and cracking a shot across the keeper that bested Sutherland but was denied by the far post, the ball bouncing back out when it looked destined to nestle in the net.

The final ten minutes of the match saw Oban push for the all-important equaliser, but they were snuffed out time and time again by the Kingussie backline. Unable to fashion anything clearcut – it ended 1-0 to Kingussie who lifted yet another trophy as they were presented with the Macaulay Cup by President Roddy MacCuish at the end of the game – much to the delight of the travelling faithful.