2019 Celtic Cup
The 2019 Celtic Cup took place at the King George V Playing Fields, Swansea from 26-28 April, where there are two pitches. For the first time, all three age groups included four teams, Ireland competing in the Senior Grand Masters tournament ifor the first time and a Franco-Welsh composite side making up the fourth team.
Scotland Over 60s were looking to improve on a disappointing third place in the 2018 tournament in France, while the Over 65s had done one better, finishing second, and the Over 70s won their double header against Wales to finish winners of the 2018 Senior Grand Masters Celtic Cup.
There were no Scottish winners in 2019, the Over 60s improving to finish second behind Ireland while the Over 65s slipped a place to third. The Over 70 trophy for the enlarged tournament passed from Scotland to Wales with Scotland finishing in second place. Whether the Franco/Gallic side was considered part of the competition or not, the first-third order was unaffected as Ireland came third on either count.
On the first day of the Celtic Cup, Scotland Over 60 scored the winner in the dying minutes of their match against Wales which ended 3-2 for the Scots. Scotland Over 70 lost 3-0 to Wales and Scotland Over 65 lost by the same score to Ireland. The Over 60s totally dominated Ireland on the second day but lost a breakaway goal to finish 1-0 down. Scotland Over 65 went down 6-1 to Wales and the Over 70 side managed a 1-1 draw against the France/Wales select. A 6-0 win over France in the final Over 60 match showed what could have been for Scotland, and the Over 70s and Over 65s followed up by winning their matches against Ireland and France respectively.
Match Schedule and Results
All matches were played in four quarters of seventeen and a half minutes, with two minutes between the quarters in the first and second halves and a ten minute half time interval.
Friday 26 April
Wales 3 Scotland 0 Over 70
Ireland 2 France 1 Over 70
Wales 6 France 0 Over 65
Scotland 0 Ireland 3 Over 65
Wales 2 Scotland 3 Over 60
Ireland 3 France 0 Over 60
Saturday 27 April
Wales 6 Scotland 1 Over 65
Ireland 1 France 0 Over 65
Wales 2 France 0 Over 60
Scotland 0 Ireland 1 Over 60
Wales 3 Ireland 1 Over 70
France 1 Scotland 1 Over 70
Sunday 28 April
Wales 1 Ireland 1 Over 60
France 0 Scotland 6 Over 60
Wales 4 France 1 Over 70
Scotland 4 Ireland 0 Over 70
Wales 7 Ireland 0 Over 65
France 1 Scotland 2 Over 65
Reports
Reports and final tables:
Grand Masters (Over 60) Great Grand Masters (Over 65) Senior Grand Masters (Over 70)
Scotland Squads
Over 60
John Bennett, Gurdial Duhre, Ben Gibson, Murray Graham (GK), Alistair Hay, John Hay, Derek Johnstone, Alan Kerr, Gordon Mackenzie (C), Alasdair McArthur, Glenn Paton, Arthur Robertson, Davie Rowlands, Neil Sharp, Ronnie Stott (GK), Billy Taylor. Coach Adam McInnes, Manager George Guy.
Over 65
Jim Bate, Hew Bishop, Peter Burns (C), Jim Chisholm, John Connaghan, George Finlayson, Peter Gordon, Chris Kalman (GK), Gordon Loudon, Gerry McBride, Les Mitchell, Bernie Morrison, Peter Robertson, Stuart Robertson, John Smith, Jonny Sudale, Ian Wilson. Player-coach Ian Wilson, Manager Donny Watson. Peter Burns was unable to play because of injury, and George Finlayson and Johnny Sudale had to withdraw before the tournament.
Over 70
Alan Auld, Alan Bryce, Alan Bain, Ernie Brittain-Dodd, Roy Crichton, Nigel Dixon (GK), David Margerison, Duncan Mitchell, Doug Morrice, Alan Parker, Ian Pett, Dick Pearce (GK), Derrick Reid, Norrie Springford, Colin Tucker, Dougie Turner, Sandy Weir. Ian Downie, Andy Ferrol and Kieran McLernan were selected but withdrew for various reasons. Coach Sandy Keith, Manager Rona Beattie