JOIN SHINTY'S SUCCESS STORY - Support Scotland

Pic courtesy of Sportsfile, Dublin

As you can read elsewhere on this site, shinty is riding the crest of a wave right now.

Never has there been such a buzz right across the country around both the traditional men's game and the up-and-coming women's shinty phenomenon.

And if you would like to be involved in sponsoring the Scotland sides, now's your chance. But you'd better move fast before someone else takes your place...
 
As the dust settled this week on a hugely successful Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final and yet another dramatic premier league climax, the Scotland men's senior and under-21 squads have been announced - along with the women's selection - for next month's clash with Ireland.


The squads are listed below, and Shintyfan would welcome any thoughts on selections, match prospects, venues or any other aspect of the international shinty/hurling series.

Newtonmore - three years the best

Action from - arguably - the decisive league match in July

Congratulations to Newtonmore, who yesterday clinched the inaugural Orion Group Premiership title in their final league tie away to Glenurquhart.

After weeks of teetering on the edge of winning the league, the Badenoch side wasted no time in wrapping things up, with two goals in the first 20 minutes from Danny Macrae and Chris Sellar.

The 2-0 final score meant left Kyles Athletic unable to catch Newtonmore, regardless of what happens in Kyles' own last game of the season - a Camanachd Cup Final re-match versus Inveraray.

Newtonmore close in on title, remember...

Still chasing, but Kyles hopes are fading

In the wake of last weekend's huge Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup final in Oban, Newtonmore's success in the Orion Premiership seems almost to have been eclipsed.

But today - or maybe next week - the Badenoch side will claim the inaugural Orion Group-sponsored version of shinty's top league, and the third premier league crown on the trot.

Again this season Kyles pushed them hardest, and the Camanachd Cup champions might still nick the league from Newtonmore - but it's unlikely.

Drumnadrochit should witness the crowning of the new league winners as Newtonmore face Glenurquhart, but the home side, won't be in any mood to lie down while they are fighting to secure fourth spot in the league table - the best in the club's history and a nice achievement alongside the MacAulay Cup.

Time for shinty to build on success

This has been a fantastic few months for UK sport. And after recent successes in our own game, shinty must cash in while the time is right.

NEWTONMORE WILL WIN LEAGUE...PROBABLY

With rampaging Roddy in the side, Kyles won't be giving up

So, after last weekend's epic tussle with Inveraray, Kyles have the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup for the 21st time in the club's history - after a gap of 18 years since their last cup triumph.

ELEVEN GOAL THRILLER - WHAT A FINAL

The rampaging Roddy MacDonald breaks through to level at 1-1

What can you say about a game and occasion like today's Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final?

It's a kind of magic

The BBC has released a short, light-hearted wee video ahead of tomorrow's Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final.

Laced with clips of such well-known shinty names as Hugh Dan MacLennan, Inveraray captain Scott Robertson and....erm...Billy Connolly, and fronted by BBC sports presenter David Currie, it gives a two-minute introduction to the game and a wee taster with the final just around the corner.

View it by clicking here

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF GREATS

Captains for the 2012 Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final, Scott Robertson (Inveraray) and Andrew King (Kyles)

Most shinty clubs have got tales and legends of battles with neighbouring clubs going back over generations.
Think Newtonmore v Kingussie. Oban Celtic v Oban Camanachd.

This week, memories are revived of battles of old between Inveraray and Kyles Athletic.

Younger fans will remember - with either pleasure or pain - the 2011 Camanachd Cup quarter-final at the Winterton, when a previously-flying Kyles came crashing to earth at the hands of Inveraray, who to that point had shown not a lot of league form.

Others, of a more mature vintage, might remember a Celtic Cup Final in 1974. Played at Strachur as opposed to the normal Glasgow venue, Kyles were winning 3-0 at half-time and looking comfortable. Inveraray ended up winning 4-3.

These two matches happened to end in Inveraray wins, but many times Kyles overcame their rivals - and never was there an easy match.

And nobody can recall these great encounters without remembering the players involved. What great players there were around in days gone by.

Who do you remember as being the greats? In Inveraray, you may remember Alex Blyth, or even Toad MacPherson's memorable performances? For Kyles, what about Tom Nicolson? Or arguably the most important current player in Kenny MacDonald?

What are your memories of Kyles versus Inveraray?

EPIC CAMANACHD CUP FINAL AHEAD

Kyles Athletic and Inveraray are two shinty clubs with names that echo down the years in Camanachd Cup history.
As these two Argyll shinty clubs - near neighbours and rivals - square up at an Argyll venue this weekend, history is created.

SHINTYFAN'S CONVERTED

Refreshed and invigorated after watching a really great day of shinty at the women's finals this afternoon, Shintyfan is back.