Inveraray and Kyles Athletic on BBC ALBA in Glasgow Celtic Society Cup shinty final

Two of the big teams in  the history and the present of shinty will go to it in the final of the Glasgow Celtic Society Cup at Old Anniesland on Saturday 26th June.

BBC ALBA will be covering the game live at 4.00pm – available on Sky channel 168 and on Freesat channel 110.

This will be the 106th Glasgow Celtic Society Cup Final, making it the longest running competition in the sport of shinty.

Inveraray are the current holders of the cup and will be looking to retain the title against Kyles who currently lie one place below them in the Scottish Hydro Premier Division.

Half time features will include a catch-up with Inveraray brothers Garry and Graeme MacPherson as well as their cousin David, all of whom play in the first team. The brothers are looking to win a record breaking 12th Celtic Society Medal this year – an achievement much desired by both, particularly goalie Graeme, as this final will be one of the last games he plays with the team before emigrating to Australia.

The BBC ALBA Spòrs team will also meet shinty’s newest team, Badenoch and Strathspey Ladies, to find out how they have made such an impact on the sport in a short space of time. Also coming up on the programme, reporter Cailean Collier tries to learn a few skills from one of the legends of the game when he participates in Ronald Ross’ Shinty School.

Alan Esslemont, Head of Content with BBC ALBA, says: ‘Coverage of four of the major shinty cup finals is an exciting aspect of our live sports package on BBC ALBA and continues our successful partnership with the Camanachd Association. We strive to provide live sports action that appeals to our audiences throughout the country and coverage of last year’s top shinty finals proved a great success for the channel as well as promoting Scotland’s national indigenous game to an international audience’.

Duncan Cameron, President of the Glasgow Celtic Society, said: ‘BBC ALBA has increased the profile of shinty on television and if this season’s finals are of the same quality as last seasons, we anticipate some first class events to match BBC ALBA’s presentation on TV.

‘Shinty enthusiasts in Glasgow are eagerly anticipating a classic final on Saturday from the two teams with the best record in the competition.  The experienced Inveraray team must start as favourites, but if the young Kyles team can reproduce the fighting display they put on in the Camanachd Cup final last season, they could upset the form book’.

Hugh Dan MacLennan, sports broadcaster and former shinty player, will be commentating on the match live for BBC ALBA along with fellow broadcaster and sports reporter, Alex O’Henley.

For the second year running, ‘Fèis Spòrs’, the festival of sport for Gaelic primary pupils in and around the Glasgow area, will commence at 12.30 on Saturday 26th at Old Anniesland. A number of different traditional and fun events will take place, staged through the medium of Gaelic, in the build up to the cup final. ‘Fèis Spòrs’ is run by the Glasgow Celtic Society in partnership with the Camanachd Association and is supported by MG ALBA, the Gaelic Media Service.

Diary dates for BBC ALBA’s exclusive live coverage of the remaining three of the four big shinty finals, BBC ALBA’s this season are:

• Saturday 3rd July: Marine Harvest Cup Final
• Saturday 17th July: Balliemore Cup Final
• Saturday 31st July: Sutherland Cup Final

Coverage of the shinty cup finals will be provided by mneTV for BBC ALBA.