We’ve got a lot to play for, says Trueman after Pentland United’s Eain Mackintosh Cup triumph
Conor Trueman produced a man-of-the match display to help Pentland United win the Eain Mackintosh Cup – and he is hoping there will be more silverware for the Stabbies by the end of the season.
The 25-year-old midfielder rounded off the scoring in their emphatic 5-0 victory over Castletown on a wet afternoon at Recreation Park in Halkirk.
Trueman and his team-mate Innes Mackintosh are nephews of the late Eain, and at the post-match presentations the two cousins were invited to step up together to receive the memorial trophy from their grandmother Mary Mackintosh.
Sean Campbell’s goal shortly before the half-hour mark was all that separated the sides at half-time in Saturday’s final.
Second-half goals followed from Allan Munro, Sam Mackay and James McLean before Trueman got in on the act late on.
After picking up his man-of-the-match award, Trueman said: “I think getting that first goal opened up the game a wee bit.
“It was quite tough to start off with, but once we got that goal we kind of eased into it a bit more.
“It was my first goal in a cup final. It’s the first time in three years that we’ve won it, so we’ve just got to try to get to the final next year and win it again.”
United are well placed to retain the county league title. They are also targeting the David Allan Shield and looking to retain the Highland Amateur Cup.
“There are still three more trophies up for grabs and we want to be winning them all,” Trueman said. “We’ve got a lot to play for – the season is not over yet.”
Kian Mackay had a great opportunity to put Castletown in front when he broke through on goal but his shot was touched away for a corner by keeper Connor Dunnett.
United made the breakthrough on 27 minutes when a spell of pressure culminated with Cameron Montgomery playing the ball across the face of goal for Campbell to knock it over the line from close range.
The Stabbies doubled their lead after 57 minutes when Campbell delivered a corner from the left and Munro turned it in at the back post.
Five minutes later Sam Mackay swept home the third with an angled left-foot drive.
It was 4-0 on 74 minutes when another corner by Campbell from the left was diverted in by newly introduced substitute McLean, with perhaps a slight deflection off a defender.
The previous weekend, McLean and four of his fellow volunteers from Assynt Mountain Rescue Team had completed an epic fundraising challenge across three Munros in Sutherland – but now it was Castletown who had a mountain to climb.
There was to be no consolation goal, though, and fittingly it was Trueman who had the final say on 89 minutes as he lashed in a low right-foot shot from 20 yards.
Club captain Andy Mackay said: “We’ve got a real depth of quality in the squad and that’s probably what gets us over the line in a lot of games.
“This [trophy] is hopefully the first of many this year. We’re going to go all out to try and get them all, and we’ll use the whole squad.
“We’ve got the quality there, we just have to go and do it on the pitch.
“We missed out in the last couple of years [in this competition] so we’re delighted to get it this year.”
Castletown were badly under strength with about nine players missing.
Their manager Tom McKenna said: “The final came at the wrong time for us regarding holidays, injuries and people with other commitments.
“We were really short and all week myself and Stevie [Bain, assistant manager] have been trying to chase people, trying to get people in to give us more of a fighting chance.
“We knew we were up against it but first and foremost I’ve got to congratulate Pentland United. They’re a really efficient team, they’re effective, and individually they’ve got a lot of class – and look at the quality that’s on the bench.
“Even with our strongest eleven it would have been a big ask for us – but the lads that were here today, we couldn’t ask any more.
“We had a wee game plan which the guys really stuck to in the first half. They were really disciplined, they were committed to it and they worked hard.
“At the end of the day, that’s all you can ask of your players – give us everything you’ve got. And they did. You could see in the second half they were tired and lethargic.”
It was Castletown’s second cup final this season. They were beaten 2-1 by Staxigoe United in the Stannergill Cup final at Back Park last month.
“It’s good for the club, it’s good for the players, to get to cup finals,” McKenna said. “It’s a special day out for them and, as I said to them before the game, these moments are few and far between. You've got to really embrace it and enjoy it, irrespective of the result.
“The guys were brilliant.
“The second half was more one-sided than the first half. We were just camped in and couldn’t get out.”
More cup final coverage to follow
Results – Thursday – Division Two: Thurso Pentland 0, Halkirk 5; Wick Thistle 3, Swifts 0.
Friday – Division Two: Acks 0, Watten 1.
Saturday – Eain Mackintosh Cup final: Castletown 0, Pentland United 5.
Fixtures – Tuesday, July 8 – David Allan Shield, round one: Acks v High Ormlie Hotspur; Pentland United v Thurso Pentland; Watten v Top Joe’s; Wick Thistle v Swifts (all 7.15pm).
Wednesday, July 9 – David Allan Shield, round one: Halkirk v Wick Groats; Lybster v John O’Groats; Staxigoe United v Castletown (all 7.15pm).
Friday, July 11 – Steven Cup quarter-finals, first leg: Acks v Watten; Top Joe’s v Thurso Pentland; Wick Thistle v Swifts (all 7.15pm).
Saturday, July 12 – Highland Amateur Cup quarter-finals: High Ormlie Hotspur v Maryburgh; Pentland United v Avoch.
Friendly: Wick Academy v Invergordon (1pm).
CAFA standings – Division One: 1 Pentland United (played 10, points 28); 2 Wick Groats (10, 22); 3 High Ormlie Hotspur (10, 22); 4 Staxigoe United (10, 14); 5 Lybster (9, 12); 6 John O’Groats (9, 8); 7 Castletown (10, 4); 8 Keiss (10, 3).
Division Two: 1 Wick Thistle (played 10, points 30); 2 Thurso Pentland (10, 19); 3 Acks (9, 15); 4 Watten (10, 11); 5 Halkirk (9, 8); 6 Swifts (9, 6); 7 Top Joe’s (9, 0). Halkirk deducted six points for playing an ineligible player in two league fixtures.
SWF Highlands and Islands League standings: 1 Buckie (played 6, points 18); 2 Caithness (7, 15); 3 Clachnacuddin (7, 12); 4 Orkney (6, 9); 5 Sutherland (7, 6); 6 Nairn St Ninian (7, 0).
