D&K Lafferty Cup 2025 Round-up
- Winning In The Rain
- Jul 7
- 8 min read
The Oban Saints preseason tournament sponsored by D&K Lafferty Contractors defied the heavy rain in the days leading up to the event and went ahead as planned on Saturday 5th July. The 29th playing of Oban Saints flagship event took place at Mossfield Stadium and Oban Lorne Rugby Club where once again a large crowd of locals and visitors were treated to some excellent football in decidedly mixed weather conditions.
The hosts were joined on this occasion by tournament regulars Dundee United and Hamilton Academical. Kilmarnock made their third appearance while Partick Thistle and Queen's Park made their debuts. The familiar tournament format saw the teams play each other once in matches lasting thirty minutes.
Tournament organiser and Oban Saints Secretary David Buchanan was delighted to confirm that shirt sponsor D&K Lafferty Contractors had agreed to continue their sponsorship of the club's flagship event. D&K Lafferty are fantastic supporters of local sport, and everybody connected with Oban Saints was pleased to see them rewarded with the wide exposure that sponsorship of this prestigious tournament offers.
In addition to the generosity of D&K Lafferty Saints were also grateful to Oban Memorials, kit sponsors MKM Building Supplies Oban and hospitality sponsor Aulay's Bar for their renewed support for the forthcoming season.
As has been the case for a long number of years Saints received a kind donation of match balls from a local business which has once again ticked the no publicity box and wishes to remain anonymous.
The tournament was well handled by Referees Jimmy Litster, Donald McCallum, Kevin McIntyre and Pat O'Donnell who oversaw fifteen excellent matches before Kilmarnock emerged as victors edging out Queen's Park and reigning champions Hamilton Academical on goal difference.
Oban Saints Squad
Ryan Barclay
David Beaton
Connor Beattie
Shaye Black
Oran Bryce
Donald Campbell
Graham Douglas
Gavin Forgrieve
Innes Fraser
Matty Kelly
Craig Livingstone
Keiron Lopez
Scott Maitland
Rhys Millar
Connor Moore
Fraser MacFarlane
Aaron McKay
Matthew Pollock
Kuba Ryszka
Rhys Walker
Kick off 11.00am
Mossfield - Oban Saints 0 - 0 Partick Thistle
Hosts Oban Saints kicked off the action on pitch 1 against tournament new boys Partick Thistle. Under the watchful eye of Academy Director Craig Dargo, the Jags made a strong start and twice forced Saint's keeper Graham Douglas into action with efforts from the edge of the eighteen-yard box.
On the stroke of half-time, Thistle goalkeeper Lewis Sloan got a vital touch on a left wing cross from Innes Fraser which was just enough to cause Connor Moore to miss the target with his header from inside the six yard box.
The respective defences remained on top keeping second half chances at a premium. David Beaton's fractionally too high effort from twenty-five yards was as close as either team came to scoring and Referee Kevin McIntyre's fulltime whistle saw the match end goalless.
Kick off 11.00am
Glencruitten - Hamilton Academical 2 - 0 Kilmarnock
On pitch 2, cup holders Hamilton Academical began their quest for tournament win number eight against Kilmarnock who were making their third consecutive appearance. Accies put down an early marker in an impressive two-goal victory with the goals coming from Aaron Eadie and, that man of many clubs, Trialist.
Kick off 11.45 am
Mossfield - Queen's Park 0 - 1 Dundee United
Four-time winners Dundee United had been absent from the tournament for a number of years and marked their return with a win over new boys Queen's Park. There was little to choose between the two evenly matched sides and a solitary strike from James Forrest was enough to clinch the points for the Arabs.
Kick off 11.45 am
Glencruitten - Kilmarnock 3 - 0 Oban Saints
The Saints' new management team of Steven MacLeod and Graham Douglas made wholesale changes using the full depth of their squad for the match against Kilmarnock. Cole Burke, son of Coach Chris Burke, took full advantage of a concentration lapse in the Saints' back four to put Killie ahead after six minutes. Burke added a second four minutes later placing a twenty-four yards free-kick into the postage stamp corner giving young Saints' keeper Rhys Walker no chance.
Saints rallied briefly at the start of the second half with a Donald Campbell shot deflected narrowly off target and a Gavin Forgrieve free-kick over Killie keeper Corey Armour's crossbar. However it was Rhys Walker, making his first appearance for Saints who was the busier keeper making a number of interventions to prevent Killie from stretching their lead.
The young Saints' netminder was however beaten again with just two minutes remaining when Cole Coghlan stooped to head a left wing cross into the bottom corner to confirm a convincing win for the Rugby Park boys.
Kick off 12.30pm
Mossfield - Hamilton Academical 1 - 2 Queen's Park
In the 12.30 kick-off at Mossfield Queen's Park bounced back from their opening defeat against Dundee United to inflict what would turn out to be a fatal blow on Hamilton Academical's trophy hopes. Osayunde Eguagie struck for Accies before the interval to keep the growing in confidence Spiders at bay however a second-half brace from Grant Kerr secured the points for Coach Charley King's men.
Kick off 12.30pm
Glencruitten - Dundee United 0 - 1 Partick Thistle
A second consecutive clean sheet for Partick Thistle helped them overcome Dundee United with a solitary second-half Jags strike proving the difference.
Mossfield - Queen's Park 0 - 0 Kilmarnock
Nothing could separate Queen's Park and Kilmarnock in the 1.15 kick-off at Mossfield as both continued their resurgence following opening game defeats.
Glencruitten - Oban Saints 1 - 1 Dundee United
Oban Saints bounced back from their heavy reverse at the hands of Kilmarnock to grab a second point of the afternoon against Dundee United on the rugby pitch. A share of the spoils look unlikely for Saints when United's Joene Mampovisia opened the scoring within seconds of the kick-off however the hosts dug in and got their reward five minutes from Referee Jimmy Litster's fulltime whistle.
Connor Moore's on-target left foot strike took a slight deflection giving the United keeper no chance of stopping the ball from finding the top corner of the net.
Kick off 2.00pm
Mossfield - Partick Thistle 0 - 0 Hamilton
Partick Thistle and Hamilton Academical played out the third stalemate of the afternoon with the single point enough to give the Jags tournament leaders status after three matches.
Kick off 2.00pm
Glencruitten - Queen's Park 2 - 0 Oban Saints
Queen's Park kept themselves in contention for the silverware with a two-goal win over Oban Saints in the 2pm kick-off at Glencruitten. Leo Clark impressed for the Spiders but it was a brace from Connor Falls which inflicted defeat on a Saints side which, for twenty-two minutes had looked a good bet to secure another draw.
After a promising break from Donald Campbell was snuffed out due to lack of support from his teammates, the Spiders struck decisively on the counter-attack before Falls added a second in the final minute with a long range strike which deceived young Rhys Walker in the Saints' goal.
Kick off 2.45pm
Mossfield - Kilmarnock 1 - 0 Partick Thistle
Cole Burke kept his nose in front at the top of the goalscoring chart as Kilmarnock edged out Partick Thistle whose lack of goals would see them slip out of contention.
Glencruitten - Hamilton 1 - 0 Dundee United
Hamilton Academical got back to winning ways in the 2.45 kick-off at Glencruitten but left it late in a very even contest with Dundee United. Another stalemate looked on the cards until Joshua Carson wrong footed the United keeper from eight yards to clinch the three points.
Mossfield - Hamilton Academical 2 - 0 Oban Saints
Hosts Oban Saints made a promising start to their final match of the afternoon but reigning champions Hamilton Academical were in no mood to easily relinquish their grip on the trophy and opened the scoring after six minutes when Dominic Quinn climbed high at the back post to head home a cross from the right.
On the stroke of half-time Connor Moore managed to get on the end of a Scott Maitland free-kick from the left but could only cushion the ball into the gloves of Michael Marks in the Hamiltion goal.
Saints gave it their best shot in the second half but, with Referee Pat O'Donnell carefully checking his watch, a mix-up between Graham Douglas and his back four gifted last year's Player of the Tournament Finlay Cameron an open goal to make sure of the points.
Glencruitten - Partick Thistle 0 - 2 Queen's Park
Meanwhile at Glencruitten Queen's Park ensured a fascinating end to the afternoon with a two-nil victory over goal-shy Partick Thistle. Kai Cunningham and Daniel Edzi were on target for the Spiders to leave them tied with Hamilton Academical on ten points with an identical goal difference.
Kick off 4.15pm
Mossfield- Dundee United 1 - 4 Kilmarnock
Going into the final fixture at Mossfield the outcome could hardly be more finely balanced. With Hamilton Academical and Queen's Park already dead level, a two-nil victory for Kilmarnock would ensure a three-way tie for first place.
Fortunately for tournament organiser David Buchanan, top UEFA delegate and expert on all association football tournament rules, Scott Struthers was on hand to advise on possible solutions in the event of a dead heat.
When the action got underway it was United who took an early lead through Joene Mampovisia ensuring that Kilmarnock could no longer equal the goals for and against tallies of Hamilton Academical and Queen's Park.
A quickfire brace from local boy, and Oban Saints youth product, Zander Craik gave Killie a half-time lead leaving Chris Burke's tantalising close to drawing level with Accies and Queen's.
Cole Burke's strike right at the start of the second-half had Messrs Buchanan and Struthers frantically thumbing through the rule book before, much to the relief of the venerable duo, Cole Coghlan added a fourth Killie goal to leave the Rugby Park men outright winners by a single goal.
Presentation
With the drama over, and the colour slowly returning to his cheeks, tournament organiser David Buchanan commenced the presentation ceremony by thanking Argyll & Bute Council Groundsmen Iain Hay and William Macadam for their hard work in preparing the pitches so well in such challenging conditions.
Mr Buchanan then thanked D&K Lafferty Contractors for their generosity in sponsoring the event, Dundee United, Hamilton Academical and Kilmarnock for their continued support and tournament debutants Queen's Park and Partick Thistle for stepping in at short notice to ensure a full compliment of teams.
Mr Buchanan was then joined by ever present away day supporter Mrs Frances Black who handed out the medals to cup winners Kilmarnock. Leo Clark of Queen's Park was then presented with the Player of the Tournament award before the handsome trophy was handed over to Kilmarnock Captain Corey Armour.
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