NEWTONMORE manager Norman ‘Brick’ MacArthur described Saturday’s Camanachd Cup semi-final against Inveraray as “the most important match in 25 years” – but now he and his side have an even more important date.
MacArthur has his eyes firmly on the prize of the Blue Riband of Shinty, the Camanachd Cup, which has eluded the once dominant Newtonmore for a quarter of a century.
The neighbours up the road, Kingussie, meanwhile have basked in the tropical sun of success.
MacArthur said ahead of Saturday’s clash at Spean Bridge that the tie against Inveraray would be a tough one, and he was not proved wrong.
’More made the best of starts, with Glen Mackintosh netting after just seven minutes, and Danny MacRae had a shot well saved by Graham Macpherson in the Inveraray goal.
That was followed by a rocket of a shot from distance by Paul MacArthur that rattled against the post and bounced out. Inveraray roared back, and Russell McKinlay was on hand to snap up a half clearance from Sean McQuarrie in the ’More goal in the 18th minute.
McQuarrie made a great save above his head in the 35th minute, then Macpherson at the other end made a superb double save.
That was followed from the corner by a ground shot from distance from Steven MacDonald that Macpherson saved with his feet.
The ball was spinning back toward the goal before being scooped out with inches to spare thanks to Macpherson’s sharp reactions.
Into the second half, and Ackie MacRae picked up a head injury from a loose Inveraray swing and left the field, substituted by David Cheyne.
On the hour mark, Inveraray took the lead from McKinlay’s caman once again, when a neat flick on from a shy on a narrow angle saw the ball fly into the net.
Newtonmore came charging back, and Newtonmore’s Cameron Binnie and Inveraray’s Andrew McMurdo earned a yellow card apiece as their efforts became overly enthusiastic.
David Cheyne, who had moments earlier gone close, equalised in the 75th minute with an unstoppable shot that rocketed into the roof of the Inveraray net.
Five minutes later, however, with the referee seemingly more tetchy than any of the players, Cheyne was given a straight red for a foul on Scott Robertson.
The offence was a swing which certainly made contact with the back of Robertson’s leg, but it was seconds later that the Inveraray man sunk to his knees in agony.
In between he had pushed Cheyne and landed at least two blows to the Newtonmore player’s chest.
A yellow card might have been called for but Robertson’s retaliation went completely unpunished, and the red seemed to be a considerable over-reaction.
Newtonmore supporters’ hearts sank as the numerical disadvantage struck home, but Inveraray made a fatal mistake in electing to play the extra man in defence rather than attack.
The score remained at 2-2 at the end of normal time, and extra time was called for.
McQuarrie put in a good save in the 100th minute. Numbers were level again four minutes later when Inveraray’s Andrew McMurdo was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Newtonmore took the lead in the 109th minute when a ball from a free hit came in from the right side across the front of goal and Danny MacRae just failed to reach it.
But Glen Mackintosh, on a tighter angle, had time to size up and lash home another unstoppable shot.
Inveraray were beginning to noticeably sag as ’More’s superior fitness told and Glen Mackintosh completed a worthy hat-trick in the 118th minute with a screamer of a shot that Macpherson looked to have saved, but such was the power of the shot that the ball spun viciously back off his caman and into the net.
Macpherson pulled off two more superb stops, both from the luckless Danny MacRae, who on another day could have had four or five goals.
MacDonald got his reward for his efforts in the final minute for coming through from midfield, when Owen Fraser took a corner, which was slotted home to make the final result 5-2.
