Badenoch and Lochaber have a shot at glory when they meet in the Mowi Valerie Fraser Camanachd Cup final at the Women’s Camanachd Association Cup Finals Day at the Eilan, Newtonmore.
Badenoch have won both league meetings between the sides but manager Scott Campbell, in his seventh season in charge, is taking nothing for granted:
He said: “We’ve had a couple of tricky league matches against Kinlochshiel and Glasgow Mid Argyll in the lead up to the final, providing good tests as we approach the ‘big one’.
“This year’s final offers a different dynamic as our second team is in the Challenge Cup final earlier in the afternoon so there may be a bit of conversation required with our second team manager Rona Stewart before we can absolutely nail things down.”
Attacker Hope Borthwick looks to be winning her fight for fitness as Campbell added: “Unfortunately, we have a few injury concerns which isn’t ideal, but I remain optimistic that, hopefully, the players in question will pass the planned fitness tests and we’ll be close to full strength.”
Lochaber are managed by former player Andy MacDonald.
He said: “My first game managing the side was against Badenoch at the start of last season and we won 2-1. Badenoch may have won both our games this year, but they were close-ish, and we’d a couple of injuries at the time.
“Badenoch score lots of goals so we need to score but we have goals in the team with the likes of Leah Maxtone and Natallie Macdonald.
“The girls organise themselves on and off the park, led by our captain Amy Disher who is a pocket-rocket of a player.
“Missy Howie is one of the fittest players in the game while Mairi Duncan gives us versatility as she can play in several positions.
“We need to get into the game early on to give ourselves a chance but the surface at Newtonmore is very good and that will suit us.”
Throw up is at 4.05pm and the final will be broadcast live on BBC ALBA.
Badenoch B play Inverness B in the Mowi Challenge Cup final. Throw up is at 1.45pm.
North versus South at Balgate
The North under-21s and South under-21s meet in their annual Caol Cup clash at Lovat’s Balgate pitch.
The North are holders, winning 3-1 last year with Euan MacCormick and Archie MacRae, both involved again this year, amongst the goals.
However, the South will take confidence from their 3-1 success in 2022 when Ardnamurchan’s Herbie Patterson scored, and he is joined by his brother Freddie this time around.
Inveraray boss Andy Watt takes charge of the South, assisted by Garry MacPherson, and he said: “We know the North will be strong, but we have the best South boys eligible, and they’re all there on merit.
“We spoke to several team managers and the squad is a broad mix from shinty’s top three divisions.
“Oban Camanachd’s Matthew Sloss and Innes Jackson from Oban Celtic give us good attacking options whilst we are pleased to have Gordon Currie from a good Bute side in goal.
“Oban Camanachd’s Calum MacMillan plays in defence, and he really impressed me in this year’s Celtic Society final whilst he also played in the Macaulay final.”
Oban Camanachd’s Louie MacFarlane skippers the South with Kingussie’s Cameron Bremner captaining the North.
Beauly co-managers Gregor MacCormick and Niall MacLennan lead the North giving Andy Watt the chance to renew acquaintances.
He said: “Gregor and I played together in the 1992 South side. I was captain that year, but we lost out to a North side with a prolific forward line of Ronald Ross, Ally Borthwick, Victor Smith and Jamie MacLennan whilst James Clark was their full centre.
“We were managed that year by Burton Morrison, the current Camanachd Association President. We won the next year though and it’ll be good to catch up with Gregor again.”
Throw up is at 2.30pm.
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