This Saturday, the shinty world descends upon Bught Park, Inverness for the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup Final. We caught up with Oban Camanachd’s wonderkid Matthew Sloss to preview the big fixture.

Matthew, Saturday is the big one, the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup Final. How are the team preparing for the game? Do you do anything different for the big occasions and how do you handle the nerves?

Even though it’s the biggest game in the shinty calendar our training and preparations are just the same for every game. We treat it like a normal Saturday and that stops us getting too nervous and the occasion taking over.

Kingussie are the opponents on Saturday, a team you will be very familiar with at this stage, what do you make of them, what are their strengths and how can you counteract them?

Kingussie are a very good team and are very similar in play to ourselves- fast , fit and like to move the ball around. If we focus more on our strengths I’m sure we can cause them problems.

Did you feel like the big win in the Macaulay Cup Final smashed the glass ceiling in the sense that you now know you can win these big finals against Kingussie?

Winning the Macaulay cup was a huge step forward for our club. We always knew we could beat these teams but just didn’t turn up in the finals.

We now have huge confidence to drive forward and win the camanachd cup but also know we must be at our best on the day and hopefully I can do my bit.

On a personal note, what an incredible breakout season for you, 8 goals for the first team, including in a Macaulay Final, as well as a Scotland U17 call up at just 15, how would you sum it all up?

It’s been an amazing season for me. you dream about playing and especially scoring in these big games. It was extra special playing alongside my brother Daniel and him being captain this season. Getting to play for Scotland was a tremendous honour.

A lot of people will still be making you guys the underdogs, what would you say to that? 

Against Kingussie most teams are the underdogs but after our Macaulay Cup win I think we have set up one of the best finals in years.

Many people in your squad have been waiting a lifetime to win a national trophy, you have one at just 15, but what would it mean to go on and do the treble this year by adding the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup?

Winning the Camanachd Cup is the ultimate aim in shinty. If I could win the treble in my first year that would be unbelievable. I was the mascot the last two times we played in the Camanachd Cup Final and I never thought I would get a chance to play alongside some of the same players.