Ness win Highland Fuels Cup after penalty shootout

Ness United with the Manson Cup they won last year. No photograph was available from Friday night's Highland Fuels Cup victory.

Ness United claimed senior football’s Highland Fuels Cup on Friday evening, defeating Whalsay 6-5 on penalty kicks after the final at Brae’s Midway Park had finished scoreless.

Winning the only local competition held this year because of the coronavirus pandemic continued the resurgence of the South Mainland side, who ended the 2019 season by taking the County Shield.

Ness had earlier beaten Scalloway in the quarter-finals and Whitedale in the last four, while Whalsay’s route to the final was a penalty shootout victory over Thistle followed by a win over Delting in the semi-finals.

It is still unclear whether another knockout competition will be played over the winter. Shetland Football Association is thought to be keen on the idea, but many players would prefer if it was played on the Whalsay artificial turf which is more suited to the game than the hockey pitch in Brae.