Junior Inter-County victory as Orkney retain the Stuart Cup

Orkney’s hands are on the Stuart Cup for the fourth year in a row after a amazing final day of Junior Inter-County competition.

Orkney started Sunday 20 points ahead of their rivals Shetland thanks to great performances on Saturday in the pool and on the football pitch — but with two events still to go it was all to play for.

The day began with the hockey.

A young and talented team took on a more experienced Shetland side. For the best part of an hour there was nothing to separate the sides — until the green favoured Orkney and Millie Tait struck at the far post to score the only goal of the game.



A dugged Orkney held on to see out the game. A fantastic win for the young team and one which gave the home side a 25 point margin in the race for the Stuart Cup.


But it wasn’t in the bag yet.

By their own admission the Orkney Athletics team went in to today’s action as underdogs.

And it was a tough battle, with Shetland edging ahead, but thanks to great performances from Drew Miller (400m and high jump), Elsie Hutchison (800m and 1500m), Lucy Kenyon (javelin), Jenna Scott and Gerard Enemmuo (high jump) Orkney were within touching distance of Shetland going in to the final two relay events.



Only victory in both of them would give Orkney victory in the athletics.



And as the sun came out on Picky that’s exactly what happened.


First the boys, Orrin Dick, Gerard Enemmuo, Drew Miller, Max Tulloch, raced to success in their 4x100m.

Then Kathryn Moar, Nuala Webb, Jenna Scott, Freya Kemp,repeated the trick, finishing just a second and a half ahead of the Shetland team.



Jubilation as Orkney sealed a dramatic athletics win, by just half a point. Orkney 49 – Shetland 48.5.

It meant the over all Stuart Cup score was 165 to Orkney — 134.5 to Shetland.

Orkney win the Stuart Cup for the fourth time in a row. The victory also means ever since the first Stuart Cup clash in 1947, the over all score is now, Orkney 38, Shetland 39.