Orkney RFC vs Caithness (11-13)

Reece Coghill gets stopped

Roddy Gray

Colin Smith

Reece Coghill

Reece Coghill in a flying tackle

Douglas Webster in a flying tackle

Gordy MacLeod gets a painful hit

Danny Gordon

Evan Sutherland

Stevie Campbell

a section of the large crowd

Reece Coghill scores a try

Gary MacKay converts the try from the touchline

Caithness players are mobbed by young fans at the final whistle

Around 100 Caithness players, officials and fans travelled over to Orkney yesterday (1st March) for two matches in Kirkwall. The Caithness U16s played a friendly against their Orkney counterparts who just finished 2nd in the North of Scotland league. The young Greens caused an upset by winning 14-7 to record their first win in over two years. Pics to follow.

The Orkney 1st XV needed to beat Caithness and also win their last three games (vs Dunfermline, Perthshire and Gordonians) to win the league. However, the Greens spoiled their ambition by beating them 13-11 in front of a huge and noisy crowd at a very sunny Picaquoy centre.

The Orcadians had the wind and sun behind them in the first half and totally dominated the half with Caithness only getting into Orkney's 22 about 3 times. However, Orkney only scored two penalties to go in at half-time 6-0 up. Gary Mackay scored two penalties early in the 2nd half to set up a cracking finale. Reece Coghill scored a try with about 8mins left and Gary Mackay slotted home the conversion from near the touchline to send the Caithness fans wild.

Orkney went all out in attack and scored a try with 5 mins left. The kicker just started his run to kick the conversion when the wind blew the ball over. He picked it up to try a drop goal but it fell short. The Caithness defence tackled like demons in the last few minutes to keep Orkney from scoring and at one stage a fight broke out on the touchline as Orkney were dramatically stopped a few metres from the try line.

Orkney had most of the play and were unlucky not to gain at least a draw. It was the first time this season that they had lost at home.

Halkirk Utd vs Golspie (2-0)

Michael Bremner congratulates Graham MacNab on scoring the first goal

Steven Morris scores the 2nd

Graham MacNab (left) congratulates Steven Morris

Michael Bremner (centre) congratulates Steven Morris (No.7)

Halkirk Utd beat Golspie 2-0 in the Ness Cup today at Morrison Park. Graham MacNab scored mid-way through the first half and Steven Morris early in the 2nd half. Neither keeper was really troubled throughout the game, with chances few and far between.

Caithness RFC vs Dunfermline - Caledonia Regional Shield Final (28-6)

Reece Coghill

A grand view!

Evan Sutherland & Norman Foubister tackle Graham Hall

Marc Anderson

Stevie Campbell tackles two players

Kris Hamilton

Scott Mormon gets taped up

The front row get ready to scrum

Gregor McNeish with a mid air catch

Evan Sutherland

John Miller joins the front row

No way through for Kris Hamilton as three take him down

Evan Sutherland scores a try

Grant Anderson scores the third try

A section of the large crowd

Gregor McNeish scores a penalty in the 40th minute

Liam Brims

Kris Hamilton

Norman Foubister

Blair MacIntosh fails to score a penalty

Liam Brims kicks the penalty that takes the tie into extra time

Stevie Campbell scores a try

Stevie Campbell try celebrations

Stevie Campbell is swamped by delighted team mates

Caithness won a dramatic cup final against Dunfermline at Millbank today. Despite having all the play, they were losing 6-3 with 10 secs to go, the Greens won a penalty and Liam Brims held his nerve and successfully kicked the equaliser. This was after missing 5 or 6 penalties in the game due to the tricky strong wind. Caithness stormed clear in extra time by scoring 3 tries to win 28-6. Try scorers were Stevie Campbell, Evan Sutherland and Grant Anderson.

Dunfermline's Gregor McNeish scored a penalty and a drop goal.

A huge and vocal crowd roared their approval when captain Stevie Campbell was awarded the Caledonia Regional shield from Gordon Cox, the North representative of the SRU Council.  The Greens are now in the semi-final of the National Shield competition and only one game away from playing at Murrayfield.

Halkirk Utd - League Champions

Halkirk Utd beat Sutherland Utd 2-1 to finish their league campaign undefeated. The North Caledonian League trophy was presented to team captain Gavin Sinclair by Association President David Cowie.

Thurso vs Alness Utd (3-1)

Thurso beat Alness Utd 3-1 at Naver today. The Dammies was waterlogged and the match was switched to the all weather park. It was the only game in Caithness today as the Wick Academy vs Formartine game was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

I caught the second half and Thurso were already 3-0 up. With the wind (and light rain) behind them in the 2nd half, Thurso hit the post from a 35 yard free kick and the Alness keeper had three cracking saves before Alness midfielder Paul MacDonald hit a tremendous volley from 25 yards into the postage stamp corner to make it 3-1.