Newtonmore aiming to retain trophy they have claimed as their own in recent years
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Newtonmore’s second team are set for the HIS Sutherland Cup final against the Skye Camanachd second team at Blairbeg on Saturday.
‘More have won five of the last seven finals and are after a third successive triumph.
They reached the final with first round bye against Strathspey followed by a 5-2 second round win at Kingussie. Fort William were defeated 4-2 in the quarter-finals at the Eilan before a 6-0 victory over Kinlochshiel in the semi-finals at Spean Bridge.
Skye’s route to Blairbeg began with a 1-0 triumph at Caberfeidh which led to a 6-0 second round win over Lewis Camanachd in Portree. Skye won 4-0 at Kilmallie in the quarter-finals before beating Glenurquhart 5-4 in the semi-finals at Craigard.
Newtonmore assistant manager Mark Taylor said: “Our preparations have been good.
“The boys have trained well and are looking forward to the final. Skye are a really good team and manager Willie MacDonald has done a great job.
“I think the centre line will be key and we are usually good in that area, setting up chances for our forwards to capitalise on.
“Both ourselves and Skye play an attractive style of shinty so it should be a good final.”
Newtonmore have identical patterns in each half when it comes to conceding.
The opening 15 minutes are where they are likely to concede but they grow into each half and get stronger as time progresses.
Skye will be desperate to catch the holders flat footed at the start of the halves.
The stats show that Skye are prone to having a quieter 15 minute segment in each half but also two strong goal scoring periods.
Skye’s best goal scoring period (45mins to the hour mark) coincides with ‘More’s weakest defensive period.
For their part, the islanders are most vulnerable to conceding in the final 15 minutes of each half with the two periods accounting for 46 per cent of the goals that they have let in.
It is 100 years since the first Sutherland Cup final when Newtonmore beat North Bute 3-2 at Keppoch and the occasion will be marked with a man of the match trophy believed to be an earlier incarnation of the Sutherland Cup.
The trophy is donated by Dr Hugh Dan MacLennan who purchased it 10 years ago for nearly £100.
He said: “I held onto the trophy, looking for a use and decided the 100th anniversary of the main trophy would be a good point to re-introduce it to shinty.
“It was advertised a shinty trophy for shinty introduced in 1905.
“The silver hallmark is confirmed as London 1905 but there are no references to be found so far for when it might have been played for.
“However, there are press reports in 1921 and 1922 of Sir William Sutherland attending events in Argyll and presenting a shinty trophy.
“Not the main trophy either I would say.
“So, this could either be the Argyll one or there may even be a third Sutherland Cup.”
The trophy will be presented to the man of the match player after the final whistle, remaining in their possession until the next final.
Throw up for the final is at 3pm and Craig Scott is the match referee.
