A look at who won what in 2024: Caithness amateur football roll of honour
Pentland United’s triumph in the Highland Amateur Cup final earlier this month set the seal on another engrossing and eventful summer season for Caithness amateur football.
The Stabbies had already secured the county league championship, seeing off the challenge of Wick Groats to take the title back to Dunnet for the second time in three years. United had also lifted the Colin Macleod Memorial Cup, beating Wick Groats 2-1 in the final in Castletown.
The Stabbies didn’t have it all their own way, though, with each of the Caithness AFA knockout competitions being won by a different club this year.
High Ormlie Hotspur retained the Eain Mackintosh Cup with a 2-0 victory over Staxigoe United in the final in Halkirk.
Staxigoe made up for that disappointment by lifting the David Allan Shield, beating Wick Groats 2-1 after extra time in the final at the Dammies.
Keiss, who last played in the top flight 16 years ago, won the second division championship. However, they were beaten 4-3 after extra time by Thurso Acks in a memorable Steven Cup final at Lybster.
John O’Groats were 4-0 winners against Swifts in the relegation/promotion play-off at Dunnet.
The annual fair play awards went to High Ormlie Hotspur (first division) and Acks (second division). The worst offenders in each division were Staxigoe United and Halkirk respectively.
Caithness AFA roll of honour for 2024:
Caithness AFA Division One – Winners: Pentland United. Runners-up: Wick Groats.
Caithness AFA Division Two – Winners: Keiss. Runners-up: Thurso Swifts.
Colin Macleod Memorial Cup – Winners: Pentland United. Runners-up: Wick Groats.
Eain Mackintosh Cup – Winners: High Ormlie Hotspur. Runners-up: Staxigoe United.
David Allan Shield – Winners: Staxigoe United. Runners-up: Wick Groats.
Steven Cup – Winners: Thurso Acks. Runners-up: Keiss.
Relegation/promotion play-off – Winners: John O’Groats. Runners-up: Thurso Swifts.
Highland Amateur Cup – Winners: Pentland United. Runners-up: Avoch.
County league player of the year – Division One: James Murray (Pentland United).
County league player of the year – Division Two: Olly Manton (Keiss).
Young player of the year: Kieran MacGregor (High Ormlie Hotspur).
Top scorers in all competitions (excluding Highland Amateur Cup) – Division One: James Murray (Pentland United), 30; 2eq Sean Campbell (Pentland United) and Graham MacNab (Staxigoe United), both 18.
Division Two: 1 Olly Manton (Keiss), 25; 2 Tony Miller (Keiss), 23; 3 Kian Mackay (Swifts), 20.
Fair play awards – Division One: High Ormlie Hotspur. Division Two: Acks.
CAFA final league standings – Division One (after 14 fixtures each): 1 Pentland United (36 points); 2 Wick Groats (32); 3 High Ormlie Hotspur (27); 4 Staxigoe United (20); 5 Castletown (19); 6 Lybster (12); 7 John O’Groats (6); 8 Wick Thistle (4).
Division Two (after 12 fixtures each): 1 Keiss (27 points); 2 Swifts (25); 3 Acks (24); 4 Halkirk (22); 5 Watten (15); 6 Top Joe’s (8); 7 Thurso Pentland (1).
