’More the merrier for derby success
Newtonmore bounced back from their MacTavish Cup disappointment with a 4-0 win against their close rivals Kingussie.
But ‘More manager PJ MacKintosh conceded that it could have been very different outcome after the Blue and Whites had been pinned back at the start of Saturday’s game.
However, the Kings failed to convert their flying start into goals and were made to pay when Danny MacRae got the home team’s opener in the 12th minute.
This was followed by a second from Glen MacIntosh just four minutes later, and from there it was also going to be tough for the Red and Blues against the Premier League champions.
MacKintosh said: “Kingussie were all over us at the start. They were strong and well-organised and very much on top until we scored in the 12th minute.
“We really had a job getting into the game.”
Kingussie have suffered from a lack of firepower this season, with their talisman Ronald Ross not playing for the first team, and for all the early pressure they could not find the back of the net.
MacRae’s opening goal came from a rare counter-attack by the Eilan side, and he gave Kings keeper Craig Dawson no chance with his finish. MacKintosh then gave his side a two-goal cushion, and from there the result never looked in doubt.
The pressure was off Newtonmore and the score could have been heavier but for the heroics of Dawson in nets. He was beaten twice more, however, by Fraser MacIntosh in the 33rd and 52nd minutes.
PJ MacKintosh said: “Dawson pulled off some really good saves and the lad kept us out when we were ready to overrun them.”
His repertoire included a penalty save after referee Graham Cameron’s award.
Although still not at full strength, Newtonmore expect to be bolstered by the return of Paul MacArthur in their Camanachd Cup second round tie with Strachur after a five-week lay-off because of ankle ligament damage.
The club also hopes to welcome back Rory Kennedy, who is recovering from cartilage damage and been out of action for more than a month now.
* A minute’s silence was held before the derby game at The Eilan following the death of Kingussie great Alistair ‘Alta’ Borthwick.
He was considered to be one of the most skilful forwards who ever played shinty for the club, and he captained the club in 1955.
His shinty career started successfully when he captained the Kingussie U17 team to victory in the Mactavish Juvenile Cup in 1949. Then in 1955 he captained the Kingussie first team to their first ever victory over Newtonmore in a final, when they won the League Cup 4-0 in Inverness.
His finest season for Kingussie, however, came in 1961, when he played a huge part in bringing the Camanachd Cup back to Kingussie after an absence of 40 years.
The Kingussie club brought him back from England for the quarter-final against Newtonmore, and he scored all three goals in a 3-1 victory. In the semi-final he again scored a hat-trick in a 5-3 win over Kilmallie.
The 1961 final is still regarded one of the greatest days in the history of Kingussie Camanachd Club, and Alistair scored the opening goal in a 2-1 win over Oban Celtic.
Alistair, a plumber by trade, died in Raigmore Hospital in Inverness on Monday, May 20, surrounded by his family.
He is survived by his wife, Mary, and eight children.
All five of his sons – Stephen, David, Andrew, Ally and Iain – were exceptional shinty players and formed the backbone of the all-conquering Kings sides from the mid-1990s to mid-2000s.
At present five of his grandchildren play for the club at different age groups, including granddaughter Rachel, who was the first girl to captain a Mackay Cup winning team.
His funeral took place on Monday at St Columba’s Church in Kingussie.