CUP underdogs Lovat produced one of the biggest upsets in recent Camanachd Cup history when they defied the odds to beat Kyles Athletic 2-1 in a tense battle in Oban.
As the defeated Kyles team trudge their way back to their base in Tighnabruaich they will wonder how they ended up on the losing side after dominating for most of the match. The answer is that they faced an inspired Lovat goalkeeper in Stuart MacDonald who pulled off save after save, leaving the man-of-the-match judging panel with the easiest of tasks at the end of the game.
Proudly wearing the Albert Smith memorial medal, the first player from shinty’s Aird District to win the award, he modestly swatted aside words of praise about his performance.
“I expected to be busy but not that busy,” he joked.
“Everyone in the team played for the shirt today.The guys in front of me were dead on their feet at the end but somehow they all found the strength to keep it going.”
While MacDonald played down his part in Lovat’s success, two-goal hero Kevin Bartlett acclaimed his keeper’s performance.
“There is no doubt, Stuart won the match for us. He was out of this world. I am just pleased that I was able to take the chances when they came. Kyles never stop running and right up until the end they looked dangerous.”
MacDonald’s day started unpromisingly when, after just two minutes, he was ordered to remove his blue goalkeeping top as it clashed with the Royal Blue of the men from Tighnabruaich.
It proved to be a temporary setback and he was soon in action, watching with relief as Grant Irvine’s crisp volley flashed past his right-hand post in the fifth minute.
MacDonald was warming to the task and in the 14th minute he pulled off a stunning save from a Roddy MacDonald thunderbolt high over his head.
Little had been seen of Lovat as an attacking force but in the 18th minute Bartlett attempted a spectacular volley from 30 yards but sent the ball sailing over the Kyles crossbar.
Lovat enjoyed their best spell but Kyles keeper John Whyte was rarely called into action. Kyles swept upfield and, in a mesmerising passing move, left Lovat chasing shadows. A fine pass from Dunkie Kerr found MacDonald in space but once again his net-bound strike was turned away by his namesake in the Lovat goal.
One minute from half time Lovat blew the match wide open when a long ball forward caused panic in the Kyles defence and when the ball broke to Bartlett he coolly finished from a tight angle 20 yards from goal.
Four minutes after the restart Robbie MacLeod smashed home after picking up a short pass from a Gordon Whyte free-hit.
Kyles piled forward but in the 54th minute Bartlett found space and fired an unstoppable drive from 20 yards beyond the Kyles keeper.
It was a goal fit to win the match and Lovat held out to end a 62-year wait for shinty’s top prize.
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