TIGHNABRUAICH was party town on Saturday night as Kyles Athletic celebrated winning the Gregor Cameron Consultancy Glasgow Celtic Society Cup for fifth successive year.

Their 3-1 win over Argyllshire rivals Oban Camanachd at Taynuilt saw the Kyles register their 33rd triumph in the sport’s oldest trophy, which was first introduced in 1879.

Long-serving Kyles secretary Mick Atkinson paid tribute to the five-in-a-row champions who carved out their own piece of club history.

“Over the years Kyles have produced some excellent sides but none have ever won the Celtic five years running,” he said.

“There is real sense of team spirit among these lads. Most of them have come through the local primary school together and there is no secret to their success – it is a case of sticking together and working hard.”

Dunkie Kerr who played for local rivals Strachur as a teenager before switching to Kyles a few years ago wrote his name all over the final. On Saturday he produced a match-winning performance, scoring at crucial times – early in each half to set Kyles on the path to victory.

Kerr, who was awarded the Donnie MacNiven medal as the man of the match, played with a protective glove to shield fingers broken in a recent reserve team match. His first came in the sixth minute after the Oban defence had been carved open by some slick passing from Donald Irvine and Roddy MacDonald. MacDonald’s clever inside pass found Kerr in space and from 20 yards he scored with a low shot into the Oban net.

Oban were struggling to find any fluency and might have conceded a penalty in the 14th minute with Mark MacCallum given the benefit of the doubt as he fell in the area preventing a goal-scoring opportunity.

They survived a couple scares and it took Iain Hay’s side until the 21st minute to threaten the Kyles goal but Matt Rippon was unable to apply the finish when clear on the edge of the box.

On the stroke of half-time Oban’s Daniel Cameron was booked for a trip on MacDonald as Kyles tried to push home their ascendancy.

The second half had barely started when Camanachd conceded a free-hit close to goal and in a well-rehearsed set-piece routine Kerr broke free to score from the edge of the penalty area. Minutes later Cameron was forced out after being struck in the face by the ball but his team-mates responded well and they enjoyed a decent spell of possession.

In the 64th minute Kyles substitute Sandy MacKenzie made an immediate impact when his 20-yard drive rebounded to MacDonald who swept home from inside the penalty area to put the match beyond Oban, although Cameron – who had returned after treatment – scored a late consolation when he finished from a Scott MacMillan free-hit.

The match had not been a classic with the blustery wind and squally showers affecting the players, particularly Oban Camanachd whose passing game appeared to have deserted them on the day.

Elsewhere Lovat and Newtonmore will face each other in the North semi-final of the Artemis MacAulay Cup after they won through against Lochaber and Fort William respectively.

Two goals from Greg Matheson underpinned Lovat’s 3-0 win over Lochaber at Spean Bridge while Glen MacKintosh also scored twice as Newtonmore overcame Fort William 3-2 at the Eilan.

Meanwhile, Kinlochshiel are up to second in the Marine Harvest Premiership following a 2-1 win over Kingussie. It was the Wester Ross side’s first win in five matches and came with second-half goals from Finlay MacRae and Fraser MacVicar after Lee Bain had given Kingussie a first-half lead.

Kilmallie are off the bottom of the table following a 3-2 win over Glenurquhart in Drumnadrochit.