Shinty - Lovat lift the Lovat Cup for the seventh successive time as they come from behind to draw with Beauly
LOVAT successfully retained the Lovat Cup as they came from behind to draw 1-1 with Beauly in the annual contest in the first shinty match of 2025.
The Kiltarlity Club lifted the trophy for the seventh successive match in a close contest at Braeview on Thursday afternoon.
The rules of the competition state if the match ends in a draw, the holders from the previous year lift the trophy.
Despite cold conditions on Wednesday night, the match survived an early morning pitch inspection as both teams were piped on to the park before the throw-in.
Beauly’s wait to lift the trophy goes on as they have not won the encounter since 2015.
However, they got off to a good start when Jack MacDonald gave Beauly the lead after 11 minutes.
Lovat equalised eight minutes into the second half when Lewis Tawse scored.
But neither side could find a winner as Lovat took the trophy back to Kiltarlity.
Beauly and Lovat will face each other at least twice more when the Premiership starts later this year.
Beauly were promoted from the National Division after finishing in second place behind Fort William.
Lovat finished in seventh place in the Premiership last season and reached the Camanachd Cup final but lost 3-2 to Kingussie.
