Mod Cup

The Mod Cup is a trophy in the sport of shinty first competed for in 1969, traditionally played for by the two teams who are based closest to the host venue of the Royal National Mod. The current holders are Lewis Camanachd.

History

The Cup is presented by An Comunn Gaidhealach as part of the week long Mod as a celebration of shinty's links with Scottish Gaelic. Over the years, the Mod has been held in towns without shinty teams which has resulted in teams being imported (Stornoway Mods in the 1980s, when Beauly Shinty Club and Skye Camanachd or in areas with a plethora of shinty teams, such as the Lochaber Mod 2007 when a select Lochaber East Side played Lochaber West in Ardnamurchan. The expansion of shinty in to areas where it had previously not been played for a long time means that there should be teams from that locale competing for the trophy in future. This was the case with the Caithness Mod in 2010 [1] and the Western Isles Mod in 2011.

The 2008 fixture was to be competed for between Aberdour Shinty Club and Glasgow Mid-Argyll at Little Kerse, Grangemouth as part of the Mod in Falkirk but the fixture was rained off. The 2009 fixture was played between Lochside Rovers and Oban Celtic at Mossfield Park, Oban on 10th October 2009[2] as part of a normal league fixture which Lochside won. The Cup provides many smaller teams with an opportunity to win national silverware.

The 2010 fixture between Caithness and Sutherland was an historic game as it was the most northerly official shinty game ever played,. Caithness won 3-1.[3]

The 2011 final was played in Uist, and was contested between Uist and Lewis, with Lewis gaining revenge over their 2005 conquerors, winning 2-0.

Winners

• 2011, Lewis, at Uist
• 2010, Caithness, at Wick
• 2009, Lochside Rovers, at Mossfield, Oban
• 2008, at Grangemouth (abandoned due to weather)
• 2007, West Lochaber, at Ardnamurchan
• 2006,
• 2005, Uist at Lionacleit
• 1984, Inverness
• 1977, Glenurquhart, at Brora[4]