Men’s Scottish Cup Final – Watsonians 3-2 Grange
A dramatic late winner saw Watsonians win the Men’s Scottish Cup with a 3-2 win over Grange at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre.
Watsonians made a positive start to the match and push the game high up into the Grange half.
As the quarter progressed Grange began to pose some questions of the Watsonians defence and Dylan Bean forced the first save from a penalty corner effort.
Into the second quarter and Grange continued to tease the Watsonians circle but couldn’t find a way through the well organised defence.
A snap shot by Livio Boletti pinged just wide of the right post as Grange managed to create an opening.
Watsonians created a wonderful opening after Guy Rowson ran into good space behind the Grange defence and picked out Fraser Sands in front of goal, but his effort went just wide of the right post.
Moments later and Sands took his next opportunity. Owen Hunter went on a darting run along the right baseline and picked out Sands to smash home into the bottom right corner. 1-0.
The Watsonians lead was short lived. A penalty corner moments later saw Robbie Croll fizz a drag flick into the bottom right corner for 1-1.
The third quarter saw Watsonians edge the play, but Grange take the lead. Dylan Bean Fired home a drag flick into the left corner to put Grange 2-1 ahead.
Watsonians came out firing in the final quarter and it was rewarded by an equaliser. Dan Coultas smashed the ball low against the backboard to level the scores at 2-2.
Then, in the closing stages, Watsonians grabbed a winner. A stramash on the Grange goal line saw Nathan Liggett force the ball over the line to make it 3-2, and victory for Watsonians.
Men’s Scottish Plate Final – Dundee Wanderers 1-5 Edinburgh University
It was the third of three cup final victories for Edinburgh University as their first team beat Dundee Wanderers 5-1 in the Men’s Scottish Plate Final.
It was opening of contrasting systems that made for a tight contest. Edinburgh University dominated the play but Wanderers defended well. The first chance went to Uni when Johnny Bradley was denied from a solid penalty corner strike.
A short time later Bradley had the ball in the bottom right corner of the net but it was ruled out for an infringement.
It remained goalless at the end of the first quarter, and the second quarter began with a similar pattern. A good counter attack by Wanderers almost resulted in a goal but the ball from the left evaded the stick of Oscar Brown at the far post.
Johnny Bradley finally got his goal when he sailed a drag flick into the top left corner to put Edinburgh University 1-0 in front.
On the stroke of half time Wanderers equalised when Oscar Brown fired the ball through the goalkeeper, with Sean Dowie making sure the ball was over the line to make it 1-1.
The continued pressure by Uni soon paid off. A spectacular finish by Tom Cahalin from a tight angle put the students back in front. 2-1.
A Wanderers attack saw them hit on the counter by Uni and Declan Bradley prodded the ball home to make it 3-1 half way through the third quarter.
In the final quarter Wanderers went on the press and it allowed Uni to hit them with a sucker punch. First Alexander Wilson converted from a tight angle for 4-1.
Moments later and Arthur Owens tapped home after a quick counter down the left made it 5-1.
Uni had the chance from the penalty spot for another goal but a sensational save by Connor Downs at the top left corner denied Freddie Kelly-Greaves.
Men’s District Plate Final – Erskine Stewarts Melville 2s 1-3 Grove Menzieshill 2s
It was victory for Grove Menzieshill 2s in the Men’s District Plate Final with a 3-1 victory over Erskine Stewarts Melville 2s.
The opening goal in the fourteenth minute was an outstanding strike. Chris McFadden fired a rocket into the top left corner to make it 1-0 to Grove Menzieshill.
It was a competitive contest and ESM battled back when Alistair Clarke found the net with a low shot to make it 1-1.
Grove Menzieshill got their noses back in front and their second goal came via an Richie Bain scoop over the goalkeeper to make it 2-1.
The Dundonians furthered their advantage when McFadden fired home a stroke into the bottom left corner for 3-1, and victory for the Dundonians.
Men’s District Cup Final – Hillhead 2s 1-4 Edinburgh University 2s
The Men’s District Cup went to Edinburgh University 2s with a 4-1 victory over Hillhead 2s.
Hillhead 2s made a good start to the contest but the quarter even out soon enough with both sides working each other out.
The first chance went to the students and brought a good save to keen the game at stalemate.
The opening goal arrived right at the end of the opening quarter. Ewen Mackie reacted quickest to a searching aerial ball and prodded the ball home for 1-0 to Edinburgh University 2s.
The scores were levelled in the second quarter. A pass in from the left found James Lynch-Small at the top of the circle and he slid a low effort into the bottom right to equalise. 1-1.
At the death of the third quarter Uni went back in front. Jamie Stewart lifted the ball over the keeper into the roof of the net from a penalty corner rebound to make it 2-1.
Tom Steingold advanced the Uni lead with a drag flick into the top right corner to make it 3-1, before the scoring was completed by Mackie to make it 4-1.
Men’s Reserve Plate Final – Watsonians 4s 2-3 Watsonians 5s
In the battle of Watsonians in the Men’s Reserve Plate Final it was the 5s who beat the 4s with a 3-2 victory.
The game was just two minutes old when Martin Cunnane struck for the 5s from open play.
An early clinical finish by Richard Booth for the 4s made it 1-1 just two minutes later. Booth struck the ball fiercely and found the bottom left corner to give his side the lead. What a start.
It almost went to 2-1 but for a mishit at the far post let the 5s off the hook after some great build-up down the right.
The second goal for the 5s came at the end of the second quarter. A penalty stroke into bottom right corner by Jamie Leonard made it 2-1.
In the second half Mike Leonard was on hand for the 5s to strike home a penalty corner rebound and make it 3-1.
The contest was nearing its conclusion when a solid finish by James Saunderson across the goalkeeper pulled it back to 3-2.
Despite a late push there would be no further goals and Watsonians 5s claimed victory.
Men’s Reserve Cup Final – Edinburgh University 3s 6-3 Grange 3s
Edinburgh University 3s won the Men’s Reserve Cup with a 6-3 win over Grange 3s after a final quarter that rained goals.
There was a slow opening to the match with Edinburgh University 3s enjoying the majority of possession.
Then, on a quick attack down the right, the opener went the way of Grange 3s. The ball found its way to Alex Brown-Hernandez who swept the ball home into the bottom right corner for 1-0.
It didn’t take long for Edinburgh University 3s to find an equaliser. Jamie Lawson was sent through on the goalkeeper and slipped the ball home for 1-1 at the end of the opening quarter.
The second quarter continued to be a tight affair with neither side able to create any further openings, bringing the half to a close all even.
The Edinburgh students almost went in front when a Louis Vanlint deflection looped wide of the far post.
It would be Grange 3s who would take the lead for a second time. A low pass across goal found Marcus O’Brien sliding in at the far post to finish. 2-1.
The final quarter saw the match rain goals. First the students bagged another equaliser when George Alexander converted for 2-2.
Then Uni took the lead for the first time in the contest when a Jamie Lawson deflection bounced off both posts and in for 3-2.
Lawson then instantly scored again with a powerful low shot as the students pulled away into a 4-2 lead.
It soon went to 5-1 as Vanlint smashed the ball low to finish off a quick move.
O’Brien pulled one back for Grange from a penalty corner to make it 5-3 before Vanlint struck again for Uni, this time from the penalty spot, with the ball firing bottom left for 6-3.
Sunday 5 May
16:00: Women’s Scottish Cup Final – Western Wildcats v Watsonians
14:00: Women’s Scottish Plate Final – Edinburgh University v Edinburgh University 2s
12:00: Women’s District Cup Final – Shetland v Edinburgh University 4s
10:00: Women’s District Plate Final – Glasgow University 4s v Merlin Gordonians 2s
