Caley Thistle striker Billy Mckay is feeling as sharp as he has done in years – and is proving he’s as dangerous as ever at the age of 33.
The Inverness number nine hit five goals in pre-season, including a perfect hat-trick in a 6-3 bounce game rout of St Johnstone.
The woodwork and a last-gasp clearance denied him a goal in the 1-0 win against Kelty Hearts in the Premier Sports Cup.
He then came off the bench in the second half of the 2-1 win against Livingston on Tuesday after head coach Billy Dodds shook up the line-up.
Despite an injury halting him last pre-season when he returned to ICT after leaving Ross County, Mckay was soon up to speed.
He was the Highland side’s top scoring forward, hitting the net 15 times as the Caley Jags finished third in the Championship and reached the Premiership play-off final.
It’s a fresh season and Mckay is matching the mood within the Caledonian Stadium as they set their sights on winning the title and progressing in the Premier Sports Cup.
An injury-free summer has the former Northern Ireland international flying and he’s linking up well early on with Austin Samuels, another attacker benefiting from a good pre-season.
He said: “I have been feeling the difference. Last year, I was always playing catch-up.
“I still played in a large number of games, but this is the sharpest I’ve felt since I’ve been back.
“People look at your age as you get older and think you start to decline, but I’m feeling as good as I’ve felt in years and hopefully I can keep it going, score goals and really helps the team.”
Forward-thinkers ideal for Mckay
With Shane Sutherland and Tom Walsh sidelined long-term, Inverness head coach Billy Dodds has brought in wide cover.
Steven Boyd and Nathan Shaw are finding their feet on the wings, while the season-long loan move for former Caley Thistle starlet Daniel MacKay from Hibs is another smart piece of business.
Mackay believes the balance is right in the squad as players offer plenty of options to Dodds and his coaching team.
He added: “We have already seen boys coming off the bench can play different positions.
“Austin is going out wide, but can also go up top. George (Oakley) has come back and scored already, while Boydy, Nathan Shaw and Aaron Doran are all flexible players
“We have a strong, attack-minded squad. That’s the way I like it. Hopefully I can get on the end of a lot of chances this season and we can score a lot as a team.
“Last season, at times due to injuries and Covid, we didn’t have as many options and you’re seeing a lot of players being used in these cup games.
“Everyone is playing for places ahead of the first league game (on July 30 against Queen’s Park).”
⚽ Our Goals from last night's 2-1 win against Livingston!
📺 Thanks to @LiviFCOfficial for the footage.
Highlights can be found on their YouTube Channel 👉 https://t.co/9UMtFeL2wg pic.twitter.com/ZLJB1WmhPG
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) July 13, 2022
League Cup points offer early edge
The format of the Premier Sports Cup – or League Cup – continues to divide opinion since it was brought in to banish the need of friendlies in 2015/16.
Only once have ICT progressed beyond the groups where the winners and the best runners-up book their places in the knockouts with Scotland’s European qualifiers.
ICT first-team coach Barry Wilson this week insisted he isn’t a fan of the high-stake ties so soon.
However, Mckay – who is closing in on Wilson’s 83-goal, second-best club tally behind 101-star Dennis Wyness – definitely sees the benefit of early fixtures with meaning.
He said: “I’ve been here before when we’ve played six or seven friendlies.
“While they are good for getting minutes into the legs, you can now do it in a shorter space of time.
“You can’t beat competitive matches, especially just ahead of the league campaign. You want these hard games in the bank, so you can be ready.”
Caley Thistle’s Premier Sports Cup campaign continues on Tuesday when they face League 2 visitors Albion Rovers, before rounding off Group G at home to Jim McIntyre’s Cove Rangers on July 23.
ICT are top of the group on six points, although Cove and Kelty have played just once so far.
Cove got off to a decent start thanks to a 2-1 comeback victory at Albion Rovers on Tuesday.
