Inverness Athletic to travel ferry far in 20-hour trek for third round cup tie in Stornoway
Inverness Athletic are set to go the distance in their quest to win the Highland Amateur Cup as they head to the Western Isles.
The only team from Inverness left in the competition are heading to face Stornoway Athletic in the third round tie.
It will be an almost 21-hour round trip from Inverness to Stornoway to compete in the match where the team will be leaving at 5.30am on Saturday morning.
The team will arrive in Uig to get the boat to Tarbert and then get the bus to Stornoway for the match that will kick-off at 2.30pm.
They are scheduled to come back on Sunday morning at 2am.
Hall says while it will be an epic journey, they are determined to make it worth their while by securing their place in the quarter-finals
“To get accommodation as well as travelling would have cost us over £2500, so we will be travelling back on the same day,” said Hall.
“For buses and boats, it will still cost us £1500. But when you enter this competition, you have to expect you will get one of these ties.
“We have played North-West Skye and Carloway at home, now we are going up to face Stornoway Athletic with confidence.
“We will all pull together and look to see what we can do.”
No team from Inverness has ever won the Highland Amateur Cup. The only team from the city to ever make the final was Inverness British Legion in 1998 when they lost 3-1 to Caithness club Pentland United.
Hall says they are aware of that fact and says the chance to become the first team from Inverness to win the trophy is a huge motivation.
He says it has been one of their targets since the club deicded to establish a summer team.
“That has been one of our remits,” said Hall.
“The summer team has only been on the go for four years and we have progressed up the leagues into the Premiership.
“It is the carrot that I am dangling in front of the lads that we could be the first team from Inverness to win the Highland Amateur Cup.
“We have a limited squad for the match, but we still have a strong team, but will be looking to get a few bodies on board.
“I have a couple of lads who play for our team in the North Caledonian League so we have some inside information on them.
