Shinty: Inveraray make most of ‘home’ advantageKENNETH STEPHEN July 02 2007
Maybe it was because it felt like home but Inveraray mastered the monsoons at Old Anniesland on Saturday to lift the 103rd Glasgow Celtic Society Cup against Bute.

They have been at this venue so often now that Anniesland must feel like their second residence. Certainly, by the end of a raucous 90 minutes, which ended 4-3, there was enough water sopping about that Inveraray might have been forgiven for thinking they were back home by Loch Fyne.

The rain had started at least an hour and a half prior to throw-up and the Radio Scotland team had to shelter under a make-shift green canopy to save themselves from electric shocks in the downpours.

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Perhaps it was slippery but Inveraray captain Douglas Dando actually dropped the silver goblet at the end.

The crowd gulped as it crashed on to the concrete but the sport's oldest trophy emerged intact, just like the reputations of these two fine sides after a heroic contest.

Despite always chasing the game, Bute refused to give their more illustrious counterparts any breathing space.

Inveraray's stick players were made to feel claustrophobic and Bute were a completely different proposition to the side which lost to the holders 7-2 last year.

With Greenock Wanderers rugby coach, Davie MacVey, helping them this year with fitness, Bute's players had the batteries to keep pressing the game. In the end, Inveraray's greater quality in the middle of the field was the key difference. And Russell MacKinlay.

"I had a year away from shinty but hopefully I am back with a bang now," said the two-goal forward, who was a lynchpin in the side which lifted the Camanachd Cup in 2004.

"It was a hard, hard game, especially with the conditions, but hopefully this is Inveraray beginning to come back now. You don't want to say too much too early but we hope to keep going from this."

Their recent Premier League form has been eye-catching and anyone travelling to the Winterton could be in for a sticky afternoon this campaign.

It was a defeat against Inveraray which ended Kingussie's 20-year long Premier League domination last year.

More outfits could come unstuck in Argyll, if Davie MacPherson's boys can keep up this momentum.

MacKinlay struck first in seven minutes before Garry MacPherson claimed a goal direct from a free hit. Bute fought back through Stuart Strathie but watched their work undone when Andrew Stewart made it 3-1 just after half-time with an angled shot.

Instead of capitulating, Robert Walker forced home a strike by the post to put the pressure back on.

MacKinlay netted a fourth for Inveraray and although Hector Whitelaw brought them back to within a goal, time ran out on brave Bute.

They will be back and stronger for it. "We were knocking on the door but it just didn't open for us," said manager, Barry Martin.

This article was posted on 2-Jul-2007, 08:22 by Hugh Barrow.