As far as first stints as club captain go, Oban Camanachd’s Daniel Sloss is on track for one which could be remembered down Oban way for many years to come.
With the Artemis Macaulay Cup and Scottish Sea Farms Glasgow Celtic Society Challenge Cup already in the bag, the youngster – who is still eligible to play representative shinty at under-21 level – now has the chance to lead his team to the biggest prize of all.
They play holders Kingussie in the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup final at the Bught Park, Inverness, on Saturday.
Sloss reckons much of the team’s success this season has been down to the size and quality of the squad available to manager Gareth Evans, saying: “We have managed to get a full team out most weeks, but when we have had players missing – and the likes of myself, Andy MacDonald and Daniel MacVicar and others have missed several games this season – we have quality replacements who can slot in seamlessly and play.
“The manager has plenty options, but, of course, that means when everyone is available – and only Ross Macmillan is missing this week – he has a hard job to narrow it all down to the starting 12 players and substitutes. I’m just glad it is him doing that and not me.
“That said, the boys are all together, whoever is selected. We are a tight group and there are no problems if anyone is asked to play for our second team, Lochside.
“The club is in a good place at the moment.”
The Oban Camanachd forward line has clicked over recent weeks and includes Daniel’s young brother Matthew, and the skipper added: “Some people have been surprised by how well Matthew has done in his first season, but it has been no surprise to me and, at 15 years old, he is reckoned to be one of, if not the youngest scorer in a Macaulay final.
“Lewis Cameron has been another great addition to the attack – so fast and really skilful.
“Along with Malcolm Clark and Daniel MacVicar, they play fast shinty and show really good stick-work.”
The Oban Camanachd side of the mid-90s, who lifted both the Macaulay and Scottish Cups, are still spoken about today, and Sloss is aware the current squad have the opportunity to write their own names into the history books.
He said: “Winning the Macaulay for the first time since 1995 was huge. Its origins mean it’s a competition that is special to us all in Oban.
“Whilst we have always won Celtic Society Cups along the way, the Macaulay is a national competition, so to win it gave us confidence.
“We haven’t won the Camanachd Cup since 1996, and if we want to do so again, we all need to be 100% on it. There is no room for passengers, not even for a minute, and I know we have it within us to do it.”
Throw up on Saturday is at 2pm, with Des McNulty is the match referee.
A large crowd is assured, but anyone unable to be there on the day can follow the action live on BBC ALBA.
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