Kingussie have early chance for revenge in Artemis Macaulay Cup final
Kingussie reached their fourth successive Artemis Macaulay Cup final when they beat Lovat 4-2 in their semi-final tie at Braeview Park on Saturday.
The Kings only reverse throughout that four-year period was a 3-2 loss to Oban Camanachd in last year’s final.
They are now presented with an immediate chance for revenge as the Oban side defeated Glasgow Mid Argyll 8-1 in their last four tie at Mossfield.
Kingussie went into their clash with Lovat without Thomas Borthwick who was ruled out with a shoulder injury.
Cameron Bremner came into the starting line-up to make up the midfield with Lee Bain and Iain Fraser.
Liam Borthwick, George Taylor Ramsay, Macleod Dawson and Eoin Baikie made up their bench.
Lovat manager Jamie Matheson made the game on crutches after snapping his achilles playing for the Lovat second team against their Newtonmore counterparts the previous evening.
He recalled Drew Howie, Fraser Heath, Callum Cruden and Lorne MacKay to his starting line-up with Greg Matheson taking a place on the bench alongside Marc MacLachlan.
Savio Genini put the Kings ahead after just three minutes.
The Lovat defence failed to deal with James Falconer’s free-hit from the right, after he was fouled by Martin Mainland.
Genini came away from goal before hitting the ball on the turn, low across Stuart MacDonald to the keeper’s right.
Dylan Borthwick added a second on 12 minutes.
The goal came following a speedy break forward. Savio Genini played the ball across the face of the goal and Ruaridh Anderson cut it back from the left for Dylan Borthwick to smash it by the keeper from the right of the penalty spot.
Graeme MacMillan pulled a goal just three minutes after.
Kingussie keeper Rory McGregor saved Fraser Heath’s shot from the right, but his clearance went straight to MacMillan whose composed finished found the net.
Dylan Borthwick’s second on 23 minutes made it 3-1.
Savio Genini won possession from Drew Howie on the Kingussie right and James Falconer steered the ball one-handed into the danger area.
Ruaridh Anderson shot goalwards but as Stuart MacDonald tried to clear, Dylan Borthwick was quickly in, ahead of defender Daniel Grieve, to force the ball over the line to leave Kingussie in a good place.
Savio Genini was booked for a trip on Drew Howie and the Kings, now enjoying the majority of the first half pressure, took their 3-1 lead into the break.
Fraser Heath cut the deficit to a single goal on 56 minutes, finishing at the second attempt from the right of the D following Graeme MacMillan’s cross-field ball from wide on the left.
There was a booking for Kingussie defender Robert Mabon as he brought down Fraser Heath to the left of the D and Rory McGregor saved well with his left foot from substitute Greg Matheson’s strike following Marc MacLachlan’s set-piece.
Lovat kept pressing in what was now a nervy encounter but Ruaridh Anderson calmed things down when he made it 4-2 with just 15 minutes remaining.
Iain Fraser played the ball down the left and Dylan Borthwick got away from Drew Howie before crossing into the middle.
Ruaridh Anderson flicked the ball on but when it broke back to him, he quickly evaded a couple of defenders before sending a wonderful drive on his left side by the keeper to make it 4-2.
Then, Savio Genini’s shot on the turn from Dylan Borthwick’s low cross from the right cracked off the keeper’s left-hand post
Lovat had the chance to pull a goal back when referee John Angus Gillies ruled that keeper Rory McGregor had kicked the ball as he cleared Callum Cruden’s hit-in from the right.
However, Greg Matheson’s low spot-hit was straight and saved with his feet by the Kingussie custodian.
There was still time for a late flurry of goalmouth action as Kingussie looked to kill off the tie and Stuart MacDonald saved well with his stick from Dylan Borthwick.
There was a late Craig Mainland booking for bringing down James Falconer as he cut in towards the D from the left whilst Stuart MacDonald made a spectacular save to parry Iain Fraser’s backhand strike from the left.
The Artemis man of the match award went to Lovat defender Craig Mainland.
The cup final between Kingussie and Oban Camanachd takes place at Mossfield on Saturday 17 August.
Kingussie return to Mowi Premiership action on Saturday when they player Kyles Athletic at Tighnabruaich.