SHINTY REVIEW OF THE YEAR: Grand Slam boss will be tough act to follow
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IT was the start of a new managerial era with Iain Borthwick given the unenviable task of following in the footsteps of Grand Slam winning manager John Gibson but how did Corky fair? While at the Eilan it was a case of as you were at the top. Part two of the Strathy’s shinty review of the season will follow next week.
January 2023
Iain Borthwick is confirmed as the new Kingussie first team manager.
He said: “I have big boots to fill as John Gibson did a fantastic job. I’m going to enjoy it though. I know the players from youth coaching and was at training with them all last season when I looked after the second team with Craig Dawson.”
With Iain Borthwick stepping up manage the senior side, Craig Dawson takes charge of the Kingussie second team.
James Falconer is named Kingussie first team captain, saying: “It is an absolute honour to lead the team and we have a great group of lads. We will all work hard throughout the year and that will hopefully pay off for us.”
There is continuity at Newtonmore where Norman MacArthur and Evan Cheyne remain as first team co-managers, with boss Peter Ross and assistant Mark Taylor staying on with the Newtonmore seconds.
There was a boost on the playing side as defender Iain Richardson returned to the senior squad.
Conor Jones captains the ‘More first team and he said: “It is a privilege to play for Newtonmore week-in and week-out so to be captain means a lot.
“I hope we can get the boys that were injured last year back to full fitness and playing again. We want to have a season with as few injuries and suspensions as possible and go out there every week to win games.”
Badenoch missed the chance to defend their Three Sisters crown when the popular annual shinty tournament was called off and they then lost out to Skye in the final of the Johnstone indoor tournament in Fort William.
Meantime, supporters missing their usual shinty fix were able to watch a new BBC Scotland fly-on-the-wall documentary, “Giving It Stick”. It followed the fortunes of Kingussie and Newtonmore throughout the 2022 shinty season. Narrated by Jane McCarry, the hour-long programme attracted a range of reviews.
February 2023
The Newtonmore first and second teams opened their respective pre-season programmes with victories. The seniors defeated Kyles Athletic 3-1 at the Eilan with the seconds winning 4-1 at Aberdour.
‘More followed up the Kyles win with a goalless draw against Skye in a game of few chances whilst the seconds won 2-0 at Caberfeidh.
The final round of pre-season friendlies saw Newtonmore beat Beauly 7-1 whilst the Newtonmore seconds drew 2-2 with Mowi National Division side Col Glen before losing a penalty shoot-out to decide the Volante Cup.
Six teams took part as Spey won the Liz Young Sixes at Dalfaber. After an entertaining afternoon’s shinty, Spey defeated Feshie 4-2 in the final.
Iain Borthwick saw his new Kingussie charges win 5-2 at Caberfeidh. He said: “The first game is always tough and that’s what pre-season is about. We moved the ball really well at times and scored some nice goals.” The Kingussie seconds lost 2-0 at Beauly earlier in the day.
With a week to go until the start of the new season, a Kingussie double-header began with the first team winning 3-2 against Glasgow Mid Argyll whilst the seconds overcame Fort William 2-0.
March 2023
Iain Robinson’s late penalty earned Newtonmore a 1-1 Mowi Premiership draw at Oban Camanachd on the opening day of the shinty season. Co-manager Norman MacArthur said: “All things considered, I’m happy to get the point.
“It’s a point more than we got at the same venue last season.”
Newtonmore then scored twice in each half to beat Glasgow Mid Argyll 4-0 before Craig MacIsaac’s late penalty sealed a 1-0 triumph against Kinlochshiel.
A week later, ‘More rounded off a good month by beating ‘Shiel again, this time 2-0 in the cottages.com MacTavish Cup first round.
Kingussie opened the defence of their Premiership title with a 2-0 win at Lovat, in a game which marked Alexander Michie’s return from a serious neck injury.
The Kings then suffered a shock 3-0 defeat to Caberfeidh at the Dell before avenging the loss a week later, beating Cabers 2-0 in the opening round of the MacTavish.
The Newtonmore seconds recovered from an opening day 3-2 Mowi North Division 1 loss to Glengarry to beat Kinlochshiel 4-3.
The Kingussie seconds thumped Lovat 6-1 before going on to defeat the Inverness firsts and the Skye seconds, both by the odd goal.
Scott Campbell reckoned his Badenoch side were set for their 'biggest challenge yet' ahead on their Mowi National Division campaign and his prediction proved correct as they lost 2-1 to Lochaber in their opening fixture.
April 2023
Iain Robinson, Craig MacIsaac and Conor Jones all got themselves on the score sheet as Newtonmore beat Kyles Athletic 3-0 in the Premiership before an Iain Robinson goal on the hour secured a 1-1 draw at Lovat.
Struan Ross then rose to the occasion, netting twice as Newtonmore beat Lochaber 4-1 in the MacTavish Cup quarter-finals.
And the Badenoch team finished the month with a 3-1 win at Caberfeidh, to top the Premiership and a 4-0 win over Fort William in the Artemis Macaulay Cup.
Norman MacArthur said: “With Michael Russell returning in defence – and he was outstanding once more – we looked very strong at the back again and that gave us the confidence to push forward.”
Kingussie beat Kinlochshiel 4-2 in the league before winning 3-0 at Lovat in the MacTavish Cup quarter-finals.
Then following a 1-0 league win against Oban Camanachd, with James Falconer scoring, Kingussie boss Iain Borthwick said: “I thought Calum Grant was excellent as was Ruaridh Anderson whilst Cameron Bremner had his best game this season.
“We didn’t pressure their keeper enough though.”
That was followed by a 4-2 win on Skye, after coming from two goals down, in the Macaulay.
The Newtonmore seconds beat Lovat, Fort William and Skye in the league before seeing off Glenurquhart 3-1 in the Strathdearn Cup whilst the Kingussie seconds put 15 goals past Inverness in the HIS Sutherland Cup before losing to Kinlochshiel and Glengarry in the league and exiting the Strathdearn to Lovat.
Badenoch thumped Aberdour twice (15-0 and 13-0), Skye (5-0) and Lochaber (3-0), with Hope Borthwick scoring twice, to collect a maximum eight league points. The Skye win came at a cost though with a knee injury ruling keeper Elizabeth McGregor out for the rest of the season.
Meantime, Kingussie High School lifted the MacBean Cup.
May 2023
Kingussie and Newtonmore met twice during the month with the Kings winning 4-1 each time.
They had to come from behind to win in the MacTavish semis with Thomas Borthwick’s early double earning his manager’s praise in the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup second round.
Iain Borthwick said: “That’s Thomas’ fourth game back since injury and definitely his best. He was immense. He’s so quick, he reads the game so well and I’m sure there’s more to come.”
Kingussie also beat Glasgow Mid Argyll (4-0) and Kyles Athletic (2-0) in the league whilst Newtonmore lost 2-1 to Skye before beating Beauly 1-0.
At second team level, Newtonmore won 5-2 against Kingussie in the Sutherland Cup second round. Newtonmore lost on Skye before beating Beauly in the league and also defeating Lovat 5-0 in the Strathdearn quarter-finals.
Newtonmore assistant manager Mark Taylor said: “It was a very good performance. Charlie Ferguson was man of the match at full centre whilst Tristan Ross was also very good.”
Kingussie only had a draw with Beauly to show for their league efforts. Badenoch beat Inverness (5-0) and then Glasgow Mid Argyll both home (3-0) and away (5-2) to extend their league winning run.
June 2023
Kingussie started and ended the month with 2-2 draws against Newtonmore. Ruaridh Anderson and Alexander Michie scored late to salvage a point in the Premiership.
Norman MacArthur said: “Fair play to Kingussie for battling until the end, but I don’t think there’s any doubt we deserved to win the game.”
The Kings won a penalty shoot-out to progress following their Macaulay draw.
In-between times, James Falconer scored before raising the trophy following a 1-0 win over Skye in the MacTavish Cup final. Speaking after his first success as manager, Iain Borthwick said: “I don’t think it has properly sunk in yet but it’s a good feeling. The pressure was on me after the boys’ achievements last season so I’m more than pleased to get this one under my belt. I thought our defence were brilliant which shows how much Skye pushed us.”
‘More suffered a 2-0 defeat to Lovat in the league before an impressive 3-1 win against Oban Camanachd. Brodie MacBean’s late goal gave them a 3-2 win over Kingussie in their second team derby. North Division 1 victories over Glengarry and Fort followed as did a Sutherland quarter-final triumph. Kingussie lost 4-1 at Lovat in the league.
Coach Scott Campbell said his players’ work ethic was 'simply unrivalled' as Badenoch beat Ardnamurchan 11-0 in the Mowi National Division and then repeated it against them in the Mowi Valerie Fraser Camanachd Cup quarters before edging out Glenurquhart 4-3 in the league.
