Gorski bridges generation gap as Caberfeidh reaches Camanachd Cup semi final
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The last time Caberfeidh reached the Camanachd Cup semi final, manager Jodi Gorski’s grandfather was playing in 1963.
Their 56-year wait to reach the last four of the competition ended as they beat Lochaber 7–4 at Strathpeffer to set up a battle with holders Newtonmore at Bught Park in Inverness.
Now Cabers are dreaming of reaching the final and winning the trophy for the first time since 1939.
Gorski says reaching the semi final of shinty’s biggest prize means a lot to everyone that has been involved with the club, past and present. “I was speaking to my grandfather after the game who told me he was playing in the last semi-final Caberfeidh reached in 1963.
“They were playing Kingussie and my grandfather said to me that he was wrongly sent off during the game.
“This is a big achievement for everyone at the club and the players have put in a lot of hard work to get there.”
The other semi will be between Kyles Athletic or Kingussie and Kinlochshiel or Oban Camanachd.
Newtonmore had to come from behind to beat National Division side Skye 2–1 in their quarter-final.
But Gorski isn’t fooled by the holders narrowly avoiding an upset.
He says they are still the toughest opposition they could have faced – but after such a long wait, he says Caberfeidh will be treating the game as their biggest match in a generation.
“Newtonmore’s experience in the Camanachd Cup makes them the hardest draw.
“They don’t get beat in semi finals and this is just another game for them, but this will be a massive occasion for us.
“This could be a once in a lifetime opportunity. We might never get to this position again.
“Our only player who has played in a Camanachd Cup semi final is Kevin Bartlett when he was at Lovat.
“Nobody else in our squad has got close.”
In Saturday’s quarter final Robbie Brindle put Caberfeidh in the lead after five minutes but Lochaber were back on level terms in the 24th minute through Finlay MacDonald.
But Cabers went into half time 4-1 in front thanks to strikes from Kevin Bartlett, Craig Morrison and Ally MacLennan.
Lochaber reduced the deficit to one in the second half with goals from Pat Toal and Max Campbell. But Caberfeidh managed to pull away thanks to further goals from Bartlett, Brindle and MacLennan.
Toal grabbed a late consolation for Lochaber to make the score 7–4.
