THE School Board Cup finals at Warriston Playing Fields were another fabulously successful night for the organisers of this and the two other major cup events for primary school team in Edinburgh – the EPSSA Cup and the Inspectors Cup - the Edinburgh Primary School Sports Association. Cup convener Jim Goodwillie was out as usual conducting the traffic and arranging a meeting with the eight team coaches – representing St Mary’s Leith, Sciennes, Stenhouse, Gracemount, Hermitage, Royston, Duddingston and Carrick Knowe - before the games got under way.

The way this and the two other events was conducted and played was quite brilliant and with games taking place simultaneously on four pitches with huge crowds of people watching, the atmosphere was first class, too.

St Mary’s Leith won Section A, with Stenhouse qualifying for the knock-out stages as runners up. A very impressive Duddingston side topped Section B, with Royston in the runners-up spot. St Mary’s went on to beat Royston 2-0 in their semi-final clash, with Stenhouse running out 2-1 winners against the fancied Duddingson in the other cracking semi-final tie.

St Mary’s were favourites to go on and win the beautiful 108-year-old trophy, but the classy football playing kids from Stenhouse shocked their bigger opponents and their army of fans when taking a 1-0 lead in the first half in the great final with Jason Cummings the scorer. In the second half, a breakaway goal from Daniel Simpson squared the tie and forced it in to a ‘golden goal’ period of extra time.

That only lasted a few seconds, however, with Ken Hutchison scoring an electrifying goal straight from the kick-off to clinch the silverware on a 2-1 winning scoreline.

Possibly the greatest compliment for this type of event came from the mother of a St Mary’s Leith player when she commented: “This is the only football I enjoy watching any more!” Peter Rowan, one of the referee’s on duty, added: “The ties were faultless, with not a murmur from the boys. They just got on with playing football!” 

*The finals of the Inspector’s Cup, the most important of the three cup events, is due to take place at Warriston on Wednesday, May 3, starting at 6.30pm again. Possibly, an even bigger crowd will turn out to see the kids in action?