Lovat vow to bounce back after Camanachd Cup Final disappointment
LOVAT have vowed to bounce back stronger than ever following Saturday’s disappointing 3-2 defeat at the hands of Newtonmore in the final of the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup.
Chairman John McRitchie said the players were hurting and predicted a strong response in the 2018 campaign.
“We went into the match with high hopes on the back of a decent run of form but on the day we didn’t do ourselves justice,” said McRitchie.
“The boys are really down because they know they can play a lot better but at the same time I think you have to give credit to Newtonmore. They took the game to us in the first half and overall just about deserved the victory.
“In sport it is about fine margins – I thought when we got back on level terms we would kick on again and chase the winner but we went strangely flat and it was them who upped the pace and although we finished strongly, by then they were back in front and it was too late.”
“This squad has been in four major finals since 2013 and won three times. I think the disappointment these players are feeling says a lot about them. In the past we were just delighted to get to a final – now these lads are bitterly disappointed because they don’t win.”
Lovat were along familiar lines but ahead of the match much had been made about the problems ‘More manager PJ MacKintosh was facing as he wrestled with a serious absentee list, with Steve MacDonald suspended while Andy MacKintosh and Rory Kennedy battled injury.
MacKintosh missed out but there was a surprise return to action for Kennedy after a knee injury kept him out for eight weeks. The biggest shock came at the back where goalkeeper Norman Campbell was deployed at full-back with veteran midfielder Paul MacArthur in goal. It was a change which was to prove a master-stroke with Campbell showing his international class at full-back while MacArthur gave an assured performance in goals.
From the start, the Newtonmore attack appeared more menacing and after early skirmishes, Glen Mackintosh turned Lovat full-back Drew Howie to fire in a strike that Lovat’s international stopper Stuart Macdonald was alert enough to tip over.
Newtonmore continued to dominate play and in the 16th minute a swift forward move saw Mackintosh find Neil Stewart and he drove home from 20 yards with a powerful strike. Two minutes later ‘More doubled their lead when, with the Lovat defence looking increasingly stretched, ‘More centre Jamie Robinson hammered home a strike at the second attempt.
Lovat rallied as half-time approached and although chances fell to Greg Matheson and Lewis Tawse, neither player could make them count. Tawse especially will reflect on a scuffed finish from a good position, which was easily dealt with by MacArthur after a brilliant Danny Kelly pass had split the ‘More defence.
The second half looked set to continue in the same pattern until the introduction at full-forward of recent Lovat signing Marc MacLachlan changed the dynamic of the game. He quickly began to pose problems and in the 64th minute he touched the ball into the net from close range.
Minutes later Lovat equalised somewhat fortuitously, courtesy of a high dropping ball hit from midfield by Lorne Mackay which MacArthur lost in the low sun.
The expected Lovat surge failed to materialise as Newtonmore stuck to their gameplan, with long hitting out of defence keeping Lovat on the back foot. Fifteen minutes from time a neat inside pass from Mackintosh into the path of Evan Menzies was despatched beyond MacDonald, which ensured that the famous old trophy would head to the Badenoch village for the 32nd time.
The final period grew more tetchy and in the 90th minute Wood red-carded Lovat defender Callum Cruden and ‘More attacker Conor Jones for a loss of discipline.
‘More closed out the match for a deserved win and defender Drew MacDonald was named man-of-the-match.
