Shinty: Kingussie boss turns attentions to next season and targets Camanachd Cup

Mentality monsters Kingussie will be even more determined to win back the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup next year according to their manager Iain Borthwick.

The Kings lost out to neighbours Newtonmore in this year’s final, their only failure in a season which yielded the Mowi Premiership, Artemis Macaulay Cup and WM Donald MacTavish Cup.

Iain Borthwick said: “In 2023, my first season as manager, the only trophy we missed out on was the Macaulay and the boys’ mindset was that they were doubly determined to win that trophy back the following season.

“We did, winning a Grand Slam in the process and I think it can be the same next season as the boys will have the hunger to win the ‘Scottish’ back.

“We set ourselves high standards and the boys will be determined to go again.

“The ability is there, and their mindset is always to win every game and every competition we play in, and you have to be mentally strong to do that.

“We’re there to be shot at because every team wants to beat us, so they always raise their game against us.”

Kings boss hails squad

Borthwick also praised the versatility his players have shown throughout the season, claiming this was a key factor in their success.

He said: “We missed big players for long periods and didn’t have James Falconer or Kieran Macpherson all season. We suffered a lot of injuries with the likes of Ruaridh Anderson, Liam Borthwick and Robert Mabon all missing at different times.

“Players must be able to adapt at the top level, and I had to move players into different positions but that’s what won us the league. Our captain Thomas Borthwick is a prime example.

“He’s been a massive player for us and whilst we’ve mainly used him at full centre, he is equally comfortable at wing centre. He can play up front, and we’ve even had him at half back when needed in games.

“Ryan Borthwick is another. We play him up front but he played midfield against Newtonmore and in defence in the MacTavish final against Lovat. Rory MacKeachan is usually in defence but was very good at wing centre when needed and you need that to cover positions.

“I remember the league game against Caberfeidh in early May when we had to play Liam Borthwick up front.

“He scored in the first minute and again in the last minute and we won 2-0.

“Liam usually plays in midfield or defence but that was a crucial contribution, and these two points make all the difference in a season when we win the league by two points.

“The fringe players can also feel pleased with themselves.

“I remember we went to Oban seven players short and got a vital point. Robert Shiells, Fionn Dempster, Toby Thain, Svend Pedersen, Jordan Reid and young Rory Munro all played at crucial times.

“They don’t get mentioned very often but it might only have been one game, or even part of a game but they all still played their part.”

Title race ‘great for the neutral’

Coming out on top in the Mowi Premiership was important to the Kings’ boss.

He said: “We had five draws and only one loss in the league. You need a bit of luck in the cups, and we needed penalties to get by Beauly in the first round of the MacTavish when we could easily have gone out. I agree with what Thomas Borthwick said about the best team always winning the league.

“It was a great title race for the neutral who would always want it to go down to the last game of the season. I get that but the only thing for me is that the season needs to finish a bit sooner.

“We play more games than anyone else most seasons. but I would like the season to be over the week before the shinty-hurling international, that should be the last game of the season.”

[Source: Press and Journal]