UHI Cup Finals Day 2025

This is the fifth time the UHI Cup Event has been played since 2019 and was set up as a result of a partnership which has been formed between the CA and the University of the Highlands and Islands Sports Department. Since 2019 it has grown in popularity with 20 teams (200 primary aged players) involved in the event this year.

All current HNC sports students have been taken through their foundation coaching course, delivered to them by their local CA Development Officer and to follow in from this and allow the students to gain more knowledge about the game of shinty and see the game in action they then attended UHI Cup events over two days.

20 teams of primary school aged players from across the North of Scotland have now come together twice, once for a provisional round robin which decided which squads would go on to compete for the UHI Cup on finals day and which would play for the UHI Salver. Each team was allocated a newly qualified UHI coach, their role was to get to know the players, take the group for warm ups and cool downs and importantly work with and be mentored by the existing club/school coach or teacher.

All 20 teams came together during the start of May at Blairbeg Park, Drumnadrochit,  for the finals day, and what a fantastic day of shinty it was. Both days we were blessed with fantastic weather and lots of peely wally coaches and participants went home sun kissed with 18 degrees on a the first of May being a record for shinty standards. The teams were split into two groups both of 10. Within this each group was split in half to form 4 groups of 5. Each group played eachother once and the top 2 teams from each group then progressed to their respective semi finals.

In the Cup competition things were very close and competitive with Alvie going undefeated in their group and progressing to the semifinal, they were joined by BSGI who were a close second in group A. In group B of the cup competition the impressive Skye Shinty Academy side topped their group followed by Lovat who were only second in the group on goal difference.

In the Salver competition games were all won and lost on very close margins, Crown Primary topped the group not losing a game throughout the group stages, they were joined by Hilton whose only loss was against Crown. In Group B Glengarry were on fire and came out on top again without a loss, they were joined by Inverness whose only loss was a narrow one to Glengarry.

This set up 4 eagerly anticipated semifinals. In the Cup section Alvie took on Lovat while Skye Shinty Academy played BSGI. In the Salver competition Crown took on Inverness and Hilton played Glengarry.

In the Salver semifinals it was the league underdogs that prevailed, with Hilton securing victory over the unbeaten Glengarry 5-2 in an enthralling end to end game with some excellent goals scored. In the second semi-final it was Inverness that took the win with a tight 2-1 victory over a very skilful Crown Primary team.

The Salver Final saw a very close and competitive game between Inverness and Hilton. With both sets of finalists feeding into Inverness club team it was a keenly contested grudge match between both sets of players and coaches. It took until extra time to find a winner with the full time score level at 1-1. Both teams pushed for a winner but it was the Inverness team that scored in the final minute to secure victory (and bragging rights) to crown them Salver winners for 2025.

In the Cup semi finals it was Lovat who had the upper hand over a talented Alvie side who had been excellent all day but tired a little in the semi final with Lovat resounding 4-1 winners. Skye Shinty Academy had their work cut out of them against a well organised BSGI team who pressed them until the final whistle but a second half goal gave the islanders the win they needed to progress to the final.

The Final was a fantastic game of shinty with both sides showing some skilful play coupled with passing and movement that was well beyond their years. There didn’t seem to be anything between the sides and it was 3 minutes into the second half before the deadlock was broken via a free hit for Skye, a lovely ball played up field and Alasdair Tindall made no mistakes firing the ball into the back of the net with a rocket of a shot. Lovat pressed back but it was Skye who had the better of the last few minutes hanging on to the one goal lead and securing the UHI Cup for 2025.

It was great to have the Lindsay Brown from Graham MacGregor Joinery on hand to conduct the presentations for 2025.

A huge thank you goes to Graham MacGregor Joinery who kindly agreed to sponsor this event each year,  his support and sponsorship is massively appreciated.

Additionally our thanks go to GlenUrquhart Shinty Club (especially Billy, Jim and Helen) for the use of their pitch and their work to set up the pitches over the course of the 2 days, to GlenUrquhart High School and especially the PE Department who as well as allowing us to use their astroturf facility for both events allowed their leadership students to be part if the running of the day, their support was fantastic. Thanks also go to the UHI Students involved and Sports Department (Jenna Gray), Iain Cochrane for taking photos, to Jim, Bart, Andrew, Tina, Aaron, Glenn, Finn, Hayley, Euan, Daniel, Rowan, Sophie, Alfie and Ruaridh for officiating the games over the course of the two days. To all the goal judges and score runners to Helen for running the GUSG tea hut.  And lastly to all the players, clubs and teachers for entering the event and making both days ones to remember.