Scottish Hockey Men’s Cup Finals
Men’s Events
14.05.2022
It is Saturday morning and I’ve turned up at Peffermill Playing Fields, just south of Arthur’s Seat in the Scottish Capital City of Edinburgh. It’s the first day of the Scottish Cup Finals, which is, basically, a festival of hockey over the course of the weekend. Today, we will see the men’s teams play out six finals over two pitches. Scottish Hockey have a variety of cup competitions based on ability and level, with a plate edition that runs along side the cup, which a team will enter if they get put out of the cup early on. So today we have seen the Reserve Plate and Cup, District Plate and Cup and then the Scottish Plate and finally the Cup which is the highlight of the day’s activities.
I’ve arrived as the University of Edinburgh’s third team are receiving their trophy. They have just beaten Watsonian’s thirds two goals to one in the first game of the day. That was the 10am push back on Pitch One. Over on the second pitch the University of Glasgow’s three’s are playing against Hillhead’s fourth eleven, which started at 11am. As I wander over to watch this, the score is a goalless draw in the third quarter. The sun is out and there’s a pleasant atmosphere around the sports centre. There’s talk of a type pf family reunion feel to the day, as this is the first Scottish Cup Finals day since we fully entered the ‘New Normal’. As I’m watching this Reserve Plate Final Hillhead score the only goal of the game in the fourth quarter to win the match. It’s a good start to the day for their club.
The midday game is on Pitch One and is between the University of Edinburgh’s second’s and the equivalent side from Western Wildcats. This is a faster paced spectacle than what we’ve had so far during the morning, with Edinburgh Uni looking a bit stronger. It’s the students who take the lead with a well deserved goal from a crossed pass from the right baseline to the back post. They score a second whilst I’m at the cake stand behind the goal and end up running out three nil winners. Across on Pitch Two, the District Plate Final pushes back at 1pm and is between the University of Glasgow’s reserves and Inverleith’s second’s. At this point I must admit at this point an element of impartiality, as I’m one of the youth team coaches at Inverleith, thus an added interest for myself.
Glasgow Uni are a fairly young side full of, who appear to be, undergraduate students. Inverleith are more of a mix of age and beauty, with some younger teenagers and some more grizzled campaigners, with everything inbetween. It’s the Edinburgh based team that take an early lead, scoring the opening goal halfway through the first quarter, with a back post tap in. In the second quarter Inverleith goalkeeper Charlie Posnett takes a knock to the head, whilst making a save down low and has to come off. He’s replaced by alternate goalie and Scottish indoor international Greg MacKenzie, who has recently been on the Half Court Press Podcast. Whilst Posnett is on the sidelines Glasgow Uni apply some pressure in search of an equaliser and have a goal disallowed. The students have to wait until the second half before they even the tally, from a penalty stroke, after one of their forwards is brought down in the circle. However this doesn’t last long, as Inverleith score a second from a deflected shot to make it two goals to one and this is how the game finishes.
The Scottish Plate Final takes second billing in today’s events. This match is between FMGM Monarchs and Perthshire and ended up being the match of the day. The fans in the main stand over looking Pitch One are treated to an absolute goal bonanza and absolutely loved it, without a spare seat in the house. With the scores at five goals to four and just a few minutes remaining of the match, Perthshire pull their goalkeeper in order to overload the outfield in search of an equaliser. Unfortunately, the tactic doesn’t work out for them, as their full-back is tackled inside his own circle with only a few seconds to go and Monarchs score a sixth. The game finishes FMGM Monarchs six, Perthshire four.
The headline match of the day is the full and proper Scottish Cup Final, between Hillhead and Western Wildcats. It’s been a lovely day so far and the sun is still out. I watch the match with some members of the Inverleith side who have stayed behind and are sporting their winners medals. The sun is still out and there is a family feeling to the event. There are toddlers knocking about and a few parents with pushchairs. It’s all quite pleasant. The hockey is even rather decent. Western Wildcats are the Men’s Premiership champions and are looking to win the double. Hillhead finished in a mid table position in the regular season and are looking to finish with some sort of success story. The league champions prove too strong and are three goals up by half time. After the break Hillhead come out with some ambition looking for one back, but without much success. The goalkeeper, however, puts in a heroic performance keeping the Wildcats at bay, who probably deserve more than he allows. The goalie can only do so much, though, as Western Wildcats run out six nil winners in a dominating display.
