Arthur McKay Scottish Cup Final Preview – Milne Craig Clydesdale Western

For Milne Craig Clydesdale Western, the Women’s Scottish Cup Final represents a great opportunity for the club to bring a domestic trophy back to Titwood for the first time in several years.
And the club are in excellent form having secured the runners-up spot in Aberdeen Asset Management National League Division 1, crucially ahead of Saturday’s opponents Edinburgh University.
Moreover, Neil Menzies’ side have also just tasted success on the European stage having won the EuroHockey Club Champions Challenge II event last weekend.
Looking forward to Saturday’s final, Head Coach Menzies is confident but expects a close encounter, “We’ve played them twice in the league obviously, winning one and drawing one. Both games were very close and I would expect that this game [Saturday’s final] will be close as well. I think it’s one of those games where both teams will fancy their chances.
“Edinburgh University have a mixture of players; they have a few outstanding players and for us it will be about trying to stop them from getting the chance to play [to their strengths]. We also will look to target their weaker players in their team in attach.
Irrespective of the competition, if you get to a final, you want to win that final and that’s what we’ll set out to achieve.”
The road to this year’s final has seen the Titwood outfit keep a clean sheet in every round and much of this can be credited to Scotland international and Great Britain squad member Amy Gibson.
However, Gibson will be unavailable this weekend as she spends time with Great Britain and Kirstin Stobo will replace her in goal.
“It’s a good rivalry we’ve got [with Edinburgh University], they’ve got a lot of young talent coming through but so do we as well though. I think that it will be a really good game and should be a close one”, said Gibson.
With European success and promotion achieved in Prague last week, a domestic trophy would cap off a fine season for the club and captain Catriona Ralph was keen to point out the importance of Saturday’s final to team, “It’s been a long time since we have had silverware back at the club so for us, winning the Scottish Cup after so many years would be a huge achievement for us and we’re looking forward to it”, said Ralph.
“We’ve got a really solid platform with Amy Gibson in goal and she sets the tone for our defence. We’ve also got a lot of experience within the team, and if we communicate well and mark tightly at in defence, we can keep a clean sheet.”
“We have to take confidence from our previous results against them but we will definitely not take anything for granted. We’re aware that Edinburgh University have a strong squad and Sam [Judge] has got them playing some good hockey. We know their strengths but we’re confident in what we have as a team and with the strength and depth in the team, we’re confident of a win.”
Milne Craig Clydesdale Western:
Kirstin Stobo, Morag McLellan, Nicola Skrastin, Catriona Ralph, Susan McGilveray, Fiona Bruce, Helen Walker, Holly Cram, Anna-Mae Morton, Kath Gray, Ali Howie, Jennifer Eadie, Gillian Green, Susie Gillman, Ali Eadie, Anne Eadie.
Road to the Final:
Last 32: Milne Craig Clydesdale Western W-0 Erskine Stewarts Melville FP (conceded)
Last 16: Glasgow High Kelvinside 0-8 Milne Craig Clydesdale Western
QF: Milne Craig Clydesdale Western 4-0 Hillhead
SF: CALA Edinburgh 0-1 Milne Craig Clydesdale Western

For Milne Craig Clydesdale Western, the Women’s Arthur McKay Scottish Cup Final represents a great opportunity for the club to bring a domestic trophy back to Titwood for the first time in several years.

And the team are in excellent form having secured the runners-up spot in Aberdeen Asset Management National League Division 1, crucially ahead of Saturday’s opponents Edinburgh University.

Moreover, Neil Menzies’ side have also just tasted success on the European stage having won the EuroHockey Club Champions Challenge II event last weekend.

Looking forward to Saturday’s final, Head Coach Menzies is confident but expects a close encounter, “We’ve played them twice in the league obviously, winning one and drawing one. Both games were very close and I would expect that this game [Saturday’s final] will be close as well. I think it’s one of those games where both teams will fancy their chances.

“Edinburgh University have a mixture of players; they have a few outstanding players and for us it will be about trying to stop them from getting the chance to play [to their strengths]. We also will look to target their weaker players in their team in attack.

“Irrespective of the competition, if you get to a final, you want to win that final and that’s what we’ll set out to achieve.”

The road to this year’s final has seen the Titwood outfit keep a clean sheet in every round and much of this can be credited to Scotland international and Great Britain squad member Amy Gibson.

However, Gibson will be unavailable this weekend as she spends time with Great Britain and Kirstin Stobo will replace her in goal.

“It’s a good rivalry we’ve got [with Edinburgh University], they’ve got a lot of young talent coming through but so do we as well though. I think that it will be a really good game and should be a close one”, said Gibson.

With European success and promotion achieved in Prague last week, a domestic trophy would cap off a fine season for the club and captain Catriona Ralph was keen to point out the importance of Saturday’s final to team.

RalphCatriona

“It’s been a long time since we have had silverware back at the club so for us, winning the Scottish Cup after so many years would be a huge achievement for us and we’re looking forward to it”, said Ralph.

“We’ve got a really solid platform with Amy Gibson in goal and she sets the tone for our defence. We’ve also got a lot of experience within the team, and if we communicate well and mark tightly at in defence, we can keep a clean sheet.”

“We have to take confidence from our previous results against them but we will definitely not take anything for granted. We’re aware that Edinburgh University have a strong squad and Sam [Judge] has got them playing some good hockey. We know their strengths but we’re confident in what we have as a team and with the strength and depth in the team, we’re confident of a win.”

Milne Craig Clydesdale Western:

Kirstin Stobo, Morag McLellan, Nicola Skrastin, Catriona Ralph, Susan McGilveray, Fiona Bruce, Helen Walker, Holly Cram, Anna-Mae Morton, Kath Gray, Ali Howie, Jennifer Eadie, Gillian Green, Susie Gillman, Ali Eadie, Anne Eadie (probable line-up).

Road to the Final:

Last 32: Milne Craig Clydesdale Western W-0 Erskine Stewarts Melville FP (conceded)

Last 16: Glasgow High Kelvinside 0-8 Milne Craig Clydesdale Western

QF: Milne Craig Clydesdale Western 4-0 Hillhead

SF: CALA Edinburgh 0-1 Milne Craig Clydesdale Western

 

 

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