Glen dream crushed by cup Kings
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GLENURQUHART’S Camanachd Cup dream was crushed as Kingussie, led by returning hero Ronald Ross, produced a cup-winning performance with two goals in each half to leave the Glen in despair.
The Blairbeg side are still seeking their first win in the competition in their 129-year history after
falling short in a one-sided contest at Bught Park.
It was an emotional day for the Kingussie club who had a red poppy embroidered on to their shirts in memory of their 1914 Camanachd Cup winning team , many of whom perished in the Great War.
Kingussie keeper Craig Dawson’s jersey was inscribed with the name of Angus MacKintosh,the Kingussie keeper in 1914 who survived the war despite twice being gassed and returned to play in the victorious 1921 team.
Dawson an unused sub in five previous finals was in no doubt that his side had deserved the win.
"I thought we bossed it from start to finish," he said. "Our midfield were on top and that is where we won the match."
Dawson added: "Savio (Genini) and Ronald (Ross) looked dangerous whenever they had the ball and personally I am delighted, although over the piece I didn’t really have that much to do."
One of the biggest crowds seen at a Camanachd final in recent years was drawn to a sun-kissed Bught and the black and red colours of Glenurquhart appeared to be in the ascendancy, waving flags
and banners to produce a real carnival atmosphere.
From the off, Glenurquhart lined up their international fullback John Barr to shackle Ross but the early action was at the other end as the Glen forced Kingussie back with Neale Reid and James Macpherson coming close in the first five minutes.
Glenurquhart defender Andy Corrigan limped off in the ninth minute as the balance of play began to move in Kingussie’s favour.
It was later confirmed that Corrigan had broken a metatarsal bone in his foot and will spend some weeks in a plaster cast.
In the 22nd minute Ross, dropping deep to pick up a ball in midfield, found Genini with a fine pass and the youngster held off Lewis MacLennan before coolly finishing from the edge of the box.
The Glen shrugged off that setback and a 30-yard drive from Arran MacDonald had Dawson scrambling as it came off the bar, but MacPherson was unable to connect with the rebound.
In the 39th minute came the turning point of the match in a fateful instant when Glenurquhart spurned a gilt-edged chance and were immediately punished as Kings broke upfield to double their advantage.
A clever Dave Smart free hit close to the Kingussie goal found Fraser Heath but with the goal at his mercy, he gave Dawson an easy save. Kingussie scrambled the ball clear and in a lightning attack Genini outfoxed MacLennan to slip a fine pass to Ross. Holding off the attentions of Barr and Mike Brady, Ross smashed an unstoppable 20-yard drive into the Glenurquhart net.
MacPherson, the Glen’s top scorer, was replaced by Dave Maclennan with Lewis MacLennan moving up front to add some firepower to the Glen attack.
But despite this, the Glen seemed unable to mount consistent pressure and paid the penalty in the 68th minute when Kings sixteen year-old substitute James Falconer produced a fine piece of skill from a corner to set up Genini who gave Glen keeper Stuart MacKintosh no chance from the edge of the box.
The goal appeared to kill off Glenurquhart’s hopes and Ross turned the knife in the 83rd minute to end their forlorn hopes.
Minutes later James MacLean became the 23rd victorious Kingussie captain to hold the famous trophy aloft.
Jubilant Kingussie fans savoured a vintage two-goal performance from Ross but they also delighted in the contribution of 17-year-old Genini who must have been a contender for the Albert Smith man-of-the-match award, won by Ross for a record fourth time.
The match had been a tense affair and if the scoreline was little harsh on Glenurquhart they will also reflect on a record which shows them winning just one of the five major finals they have taken part in since 2008.
At the end Ross clutched his twelfth winners medal and said: "It has been a long time coming. In Badenoch, Newtonmore have had the edge on us for the last few years so it is fantastic to get the Camanachd Cup back in the village."
