MacTavish Cup win would be huge inspiration for Caberfeidh Shinty Club as they prepare to face Kingussie in final
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MANAGER Jodi Gorski believes ending an 85-year wait to lift the MacTavish Cup tomorrow would provide plenty of inspiration to everyone at Caberfeidh in years to come.
The Cabers will have the chance to get their hands on the trophy for the first time since 1937 if they beat Kingussie at Bught Park, in what for the vast majority of the squad will be their first real crack at silverware.
Only Kevin Bartlett has lifted a senior shinty trophy before, with two MacTavish Cups and one Camanachd Cup to his name, but Gorski says if Bartlett can lead Caberfeidh to victory, players at all levels of the club will believe they can emulate the achievement.
“If we don’t win it, at least we’ll have got a big cup final experience,” Gorski reasoned.
“That’s the biggest thing – with it being the first one we’ve been to, we don’t know what to expect.
“The only one that has been to any big finals is Kevin Bartlett, so he will be massive for us.
“The rest of us have never gone through it. It would be brilliant to win, it would give everyone a lift.
“Our second team is pretty much last year’s under-17s. Some of that squad are in the first team too, so people would think if we can play in finals, why can’t they?
“It would just push everyone on that bit more and show that you do have the chance to play in big games.”
While most of Caberfeidh’s squad will be going into their first major final, silverware is the expectation rather than an ambition for opponents Kingussie.
The Kings are yet to be beaten in 2022, but Gorski believes Caberfeidh have the firepower to get the win.
“We just have to stick to what we know we can do,” he said.
“We feel we can outscore most teams, so we have to just do what we normally do to the best of our ability.
“The boys are confident, if they play to their best we’ll have a chance. If they’re not at their best, there’s no point in us going. We would be as well staying at home.”