Glen create history with cup triumph
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GLENURQUHART ended 127 years of disappointment when they lifted the Artemis MacAulay Cup — the first senior trophy they have won in their history — after a 6-0 win over Oban Camanachd at Mossfield.
Cheered on by a large and vocal support, the Glen dominated from the start with Oban rarely threatening, despite enjoying some territorial advantage midway through the first half.
The scoreline underlined the gulf between the Premiership and area league shinty with the Glen sharper and fitter, and ultimately a class above their Argyllshire opponents.
Despite Oban having home advantage, it was Glenurquhart who settled first and Rhuaridh Cameron crashed home the opening goal with a stunning strike from distance in the sixth minute.
Oban were struggling to contain the pace of Cameron and his strike partners Dave Smart and Neale Reid, and in the 24th minute Reid found time and space to bullet home a second for the Glen.
Oban needed to hold on to until the interval, but with just seven minutes of the half remaining, Cameron hit a sumptuous 35-yard drive to heap more misery on Oban.
Reid made it four on the hour mark with a sharp strike form the edge of the box. Man of the match Fraser Heath, who is only 18-years-old, scored a deserved fifth and Lewis Maclennan completed the rout with just three minutes remaining.
Glen skipper Stuart MacKintosh stepped forward to accept the cup and in doing so became the first Glenurquhart captain to lift a national trophy in 127 years of trying.
In the Orion Premiership, Kilmallie were relegated after losing 3-1 at home to reigning champions Newtonmore. ’More returned to the top of the league with a hard won two points courtesy of goals from Glen MacKintosh (two) and Danny MacRae.
Kingussie crashed to a shock 6-1 defeat away to Kinlochshiel. Doubles from brothers John and Keith MacRae settled the West Highland side with Gordon MacDonald and Conal Fraser also on the scoresheet.
Barrie Dallas struck a consolation for Kingussie, who are finishing the season without a senior trophy for the first time in over a quarter of a century.
Fort William kept up their recent revival with a 5 - 3 defeat of Camanachd Cup finalists Inveraray.
In the Marine Harvest leagues, the North Division One front runners Lochaber and Skye both kept their title ambitions alive with victories over Inverness and Lochcarron respectively.
Inverness fell victim to the Spean Bridge goal machine with Lochaber hitting five without reply to lift their goal tally to 48 from just 10 games.
Shaun Nicholson (two), Stuart Callison, Ben Delaney and Pat Toal did the damage as Inverness slip to third from bottom in the table.
Skye won the West Highland derby with a 3-0 win over Lochcarron. All the goals came in the first half with Jordan Murchison hitting a double and Danny Morrison also on target.
Elsewhere, Beauly beat Caberfeidh for the first time in a couple of seasons with a 2-1 victory over the home side.
Cabers were first to strike with Lee Nicol bursting forward from midfield to finish off a sweeping move in the fourth minute. Barrie MacDonald forced the equaliser from a tight angle in the 27th minute and Beauly got a deserved winner in the 65th minute when Ryan Tillman scored from close range.
In North Division Two, victories for Fort William and Kingussie mean that Lochaber are relegated to North Division Three next season.
Meanwhile, Division Three champions Beauly are through to the final of the Strathdearn Cup after a 3-1 win over North Division Two side Skye.
Teenager Calum Morrison grabbed a goal in each half and Martin Davidson struck in the 17th minute. Skye fought back in the second half, but all they could muster was an effort from Paul MacKinnon in the 56th minute.
Beauly now face Fort William in the final at Craigard Park, Invergarry, in two weeks time.
After the match, Beauly were presented with the North Division Three championship trophy by a representative of league sponsor Marine Harvest.
