Perth-based Tayforth came within a whisker of picking up a first major trophy in their 25- year existence when they ran cup holders Caberfeidh all the way in the Balliemore Cup final at Kingussie.
Cabers, who had won the intermediate championship for the last three years, were widely expected to over-run the south team, and looked to be well on their way when they scored in just 46 seconds when Lee Nicol capitalised on hesitancy in the Perth defence.
Worse followed in just 15 minutes when Martin MacLean scored a second, but Tayforth gradually took control and hit back. Barry Dallas scored a spectacular effort from all of 30 yards in 28 minutes, and Stuart Ferrier's struck from 20 yards just six minutes later.
Tayforth keeper Gary Gilfillan was outstanding when Cabers managed to break their midfield superiority, but the Perth defence slipped up on the hour when they allowed Martin MacLean to pounce on a loose ball in the box after a corner.
Tayforth may feel hard done by having had so much pressure, but their failure in front of goal particularly in the first half eventually caught up with them. They still have a possible play-off place for promotion to aim at, so they may have something special to celebrate at their reunion which is planned for September.
Kingussie, meanwhile, cruised to another premier league title by thrashing Kyles 10-1 at Tighna-bruaich. Kingussie led 7-0 at the interval, and further humiliation was only spared thanks to a superb display of goalkeeping by Kyles' Ken MacDonald.
The champions' Ronald Ross continued his phenomenal goal-scoring exploits, netting six, taking his tally to 76 for the season. He is now within 10 goals of re-writing last year's record haul of 85. Kingussie have now gone 50 games without defeat in a sequence stretching back to the Camanachd Cup Final of 1996.
The bad news for Kyles is that the same two teams meet again this Saturday at the Dell, when Kingussie will be presented with their trophy.
Newtonmore edged themselves closer to premier league safety with a point against the bottom club, Glenorchy. The 2-2 draw now leaves Glen two points adrift of Newtonmore, Glen-urquhart and Inveraray.
Glenurquhart have finished their fixtures, and the other three teams each have two games to play. The crucial match in the sequence is likely to be the meeting of Glenorchy and Inveraray at Dalmally. Ironically the teams meet this weekend in the Glasgow Celtic Society Cup Final at Pollok.
Kilmallie kept up their chase for the north place in the play-off race for the premier league.
Scott Rodgers netted a double and Ross Lavin got the third in their comfortable win over Strathglass.
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