His fourth in Kingussie's win at Lovat was the landmark goal, and it makes him the first top-flight player in any Scottish sport to reach the incredible figure.

The modest 34-year-old said: "I never ever set out to score 1,000 goals, but four or five years ago the shinty year book tallied up all my goals from 1994 onwards.

"At that time, there were well over 800 so I just started counting from that. I didn't keep a check beforehand.

"The goals I scored in second team shinty have not been counted, even though I scored 65 in one season. They're all in senior league and cup competitions and internationals."

The next highest goalscorer is believed to be Ross's twin strike partner, Kevin Thain, who is believed to be around the 500 mark.

"I don't think this will ever be done again," said shinty historian, Hugh Dan MacLennan. "This is a truly staggering achievement for Ronald and for Scottish sport.

"I have been involved in shinty for 50 years and I can honestly say, I have never seen anyone like him."

The achievement is to be verified by the Camanachd Association and forwarded to the Guinness Book of Records as a fitting tribute to the game's most deadly marksman ever.

Ross's exploits put him on a par with the legendary footballer Pele as one of only a handful of individuals worldwide to achieve such a tally in any sport.

Kingussie first team coach Jimmy Gow said: "It has been great working alongside Ronald and seeing him achieve this record. We will never see the likes of this again – and I hope he gets another 1,000."

Before Ross burst on to the shinty scene it was inconceivable that a shinty player could even contemplate hitting the back of the net 1,000 times.

Previous records showed career totals of not even half the number that Ronald Ross achieved on Saturday at Balgate Park, Kiltarlity.

Since being selected for the senior team at Kingussie as a regular by his father, Ian, in 1993, he has shown a consistency and instinct in front of goal that most shinty followers agree will never be seen again.

The 1,000th goal, when it came, was a clinical back hand flick in to the roof of the net on a blustery afternoon in the second half of the King's MacTavish Cup semi-final. It was his fourth goal of the game.

Kingussie club historian John Robertson said: "To a spectator unaware of the significance, it may have seemed like an ordinary goal but the Kingussie players knew they were witnessing a moment in shinty history that the sport has never seen before and probably will never see again.

"The ball nestled in the back of the net, signifying that Lovat's time was up in this year's MacTavish Cup. It was also the completion of the greatest milestone yet in the supreme shinty career of the sport's top marksman.

In a class of his own....The sport's most prolific goalscorer, Ronald Ross, after scoring his record breaking 1,000th goal in top flight shinty.

Ross was first included in a Kingussie first team squad when he was selected at the age of 16 by then team manager, Donnie Grant, to be a reserve at the Camanachd Cup Final at the Bught Park in Inverness in 1991.

He did not play that day, but it was clear from the start that his ability to find the back of the net was exceptional.

After reaching 1,000 goals, Mr Grant said: "In the early 1990s the International teams were playing in Ireland, and Ronald had played so well in the under-21 match that I put him on as a substitute in the full International. He scored in a 3-3 draw.

"Shinty has never seen goalscoring like this, but it is not by luck – it is down to practice from a young age.

"The consistency and commitment needed to reach 1,000 goals is unique."

Since the mid 1990s Ross's goals have helped Kingussie collect silverware on a regular basis.

There have been many Camanachd Cup Finals when he has stolen the show.

In 1997 and 1998 he scored five goals, at Denoon in 2006 he scored the only four goals of the game and, in 2002 at Inverness, he scored a hat-trick to win the match 3-2 against Inveraray.

Also, on three separate occasions in the Premier League he has scored eight times during a match.

Speaking after the achievement, Ross suggested his favourite goal of them all was a back hand volley on the Dell against Newtonmore in 2004.

The Chieftain of Kingussie Camanachd Club, Joe Taylor, said: "Sometimes in sport a player comes along who completely re-writes the record books, shinty has never seen anything like this before.

"We understand that the Camanachd Association is looking for a way to recognise the record breaking feat and it will be very well deserved."

With 23 goals already this season there is no sign of Ross letting up.

Mr Robertson, also a past president of the Kingussie club, said: "Ronald's determination to contribute to Kingussie's matches is single minded, and individual records take second place to the team's success. For anyone else, though, 1,000 goals is only a dream.

"I can't see any way that this will be repeated, not this century or any other, not by a mile. Scoring goals is the hardest thing to do. The best game I've seen him have so far was in the final three years ago at Denoon, he scored goals that day that no one else could."

* Goals scored each season including International goals, but not friendly matches: 1994-95 – 67; 1995-96 – 72; 1996-97 – 84; 1997-98 – 81; 1998-99 – 64; 1999-2000 – 56; 2000-01 – 65; 2001-02 – 45; 2002-03 – 94; 2003-04 – 59; 2004-05 – 73; 2006 – 74; 2007 – 70; 2008 – 73; 2009 – 23 so far.

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