Winner takes all in Scottish Cup Finals weekend

2nd May 2018

Home » News » Winner takes all in Scottish Cup Finals weekend

The prospect of a brace of league and cup doubles is high on the agenda as newly crowned Grange men and Edinburgh University women head into this weekend`s Scottish Cup Finals at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre. But it does not always pan out that way in a winner-take-all final scenario and both meet fierce opposition on Edinburgh University men, and Grove Menzieshill women.

A University double up is also a prospect as the students are contesting both the men`s and women`s finals.

The men`s final is an all-Edinburgh battle between Grange and Edinburgh University, which on paper has the appearance of a David and Goliath scenario. Grange were crowned league winners only last weekend, and David Knipe`s charges only lost one game in 18 outings – quite an impressive record.

During their campaign Grange amassed an impressive 67 goals with Frank Ryan, Luke Cranney, captain Cammie Fraser along with youngsters Callum MacKenzie and Jacob Tweedie all pitching in on a regular basis.

In addition, Grange won both the league encounters 3-1 and then 4-1, so little comfort for the students there.

Nonetheless, coach David Knipe remains cautious. “Both league matches have been really good close matches so I think the final will be the same.”

So what chance the Edinburgh students? To start with, league form is not always a true guide to one-off cup ties, as Graham Moodie`s charges have already demonstrated. Edinburgh finished sixth in the league, winning only three games in the process, but they certainly became the division`s draw specialists. Moodie has maintained that his squad kept their best form to the cup, a claim borne out by impressive away victories at Western Wildcats and then Grove Menzieshill in the previous two rounds.

But Moodie is under no illusions about the task ahead on Saturday. “This is going to be a really tough game, Grange are the best team in the land.

“Our league games against them have been competitive, we`ve had good spells against them but perhaps not really troubled them.

“Unlike our league encounters, we have to go for it on Saturday if we`re going to have any chance of winning.”

A University upset would put a new name on the trophy, otherwise it would be Grange`s sixth cup success in the history of the competition.

The women`s final is on paper a far closer affair between champions Edinburgh University and Grove Menzieshill who finished third in the league, and both clubs are well used to lifting the trophy in past years.

While both clubs have had to endure the latter part of the league campaign without their Scotland players at the Commonwealth Games, their end of season form seems to have taken different paths.

Since the winter shutdown Edinburgh have picked up six victories, they dropped two points in a 0-0 draw with Grove Menzieshill and went down 2-0 to Milne Craig Clydesdale Western.

The students have plenty of firepower up front with Sophie Maunder, Zara Malseed, Hanna McKie and Ella Watt all scoring goals, and they now have Amy Brodie back from the Gold Coast.

In contrast, the Taysiders have struggled to find consistency with three wins, three defeats and a couple of draws in the mix. However, earlier in the season Grove Menzieshill handed out the student`s first defeat of the season with a 3-1 win, the goals came from Sarah Jamieson, Jude McMullan and Jenny Walls that day.

Gold Coast athletes Jamieson and Katie Robertson are also back in the mix and will look to bring the silverware back to Dundee.

In the end, perhaps a difficult one to predict with who steps up on the day being the decisive factor.

Cup Finals Weekend

There are ten fantastic cup finals held over the weekend at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre and are all included in Cup Final tickets. Buy your tickets online.

Full schedule on men’s finals day HERE

Full schedule on women’s finals day HERE

Buy your cup final tickets HERE

Tickets online

Single Day Tickets

Adult: £7 (+ booking fee)

Conc: £5 (+ booking fee)

Scottish Cup Finals Season Ticket

Entry to the men’s and women’s Scottish Cup finals. Nine finals: ONE ticket.

Adult: £10 (+ booking fee)

Conc: £7 (+ booking fee)

Finals Season Ticket

Entry to the men’s and women’s Scottish Cup finals + Grand Finals events.

Adult: £14 (+ booking fee)

Conc: £10 (+ booking fee)

Conc = U16 & Over-65s

Single day tickets at the gate: £10 Adults / £7 Conc

Tickets are also available through competing clubs to their fans and members.

No allocated seating – Main Stand seats available first come first served, otherwise standing.