IF SOMEONE was to concoct the perfect script for a sporting derby then passion, skill, a tinge of controversy and a twist in the tail would be essential themes.
On Saturday at the Dell in Kingussie, around 2,500 shinty fans saw Kingussie and Newtonmore serve up the lot and watched the title race thrown on its head.
Newtonmore could have been sitting pretty this morning, knowing one point from their final
two matches against Lochaber and Inveraray would be enough to net them the silver salver.
However, nerves must now be jangling at the Eilan after underdogs Kingussie mustered up the result of their season to run out 3-1 winners of the contest.
It was do-or-die for Jimmy Gow's men and, in passing the acid test, they now find themselves in a mouth-watering position.
Win against Kyles in their final match and they can rest, knowing Newtonmore have to win their two remaining fixtures – by six more goals.
Suddenly, it doesn't seem such an easy task for Newtonmore, although Kyles will do Kingussie few favours on the famous slope at Tighnabruaich.
"We know what we have to do and we are delighted to be in the position where we just have to go and give it our all," said Kingussie manager Gow. "If we had lost, it was all over."
Passion is a necessary derby ingredient and, if anything, there was a surfeit of this commodity over skill.
That was reflected in the fact both sides trooped off the park with 11 men; Newtonmore's Scott Campbell and Kingussie's Ally MacLeod both receiving straight red cards for blood-letting offences.
The skill element was evinced, by and large, in the goals. Danny MacRae's opener for Newtonmore in 11 minutes was a joyous thing. His thundering half volley almost shuttled back to Newtonmore, such was the venom with which it sped.
Ronald Ross' three strikes for Kingussie were more instinctive – a telling contribution from a master of the goal-scoring craft.
However, it was the controversy which will stick in the throats of Newtonmore's fans.
Eilan boss Norman MacArthur was apoplectic at Campbell's sending off at 1-1.
Although his careless swing led to a head wound for Russell Dallas, two similar offences had gone comparatively unpunished by the referee, Ronnie Campbell.
"A disgrace," was MacArthur's opinion, clearly struggling to comprehend the afternoon's events.
"Two incidents happened beforehand, yet Scott Campbell, one of the cleanest players in shinty gets a straight red for his first foul.
"It changed the game and it could have effect our season."
Championships can turn on a handful of key moments.
The way this season is going, don't discount a few more happening before the end.
