RBS Scottish Cup final: Gala eager to make mark against seasoned Ayr

THE MEMORIES of Gala’s class of ’99 and Ayr’s double over Melrose have filled the air this week, but when the first whistle blows at 4pm this afternoon all eyes will be on which current men in maroon and performers in pink will grasp the opportunity to create winners in the 2012 RBS Scottish Cup final.

There is an element of Andy Warhol’s ‘15 minutes of fame’ about the Cup Finals Day for most clubs, highlighted by the fact that none of the Gala squad was involved when the club last appeared in a Murrayfield final. Some had just started primary school and even their coach George Graham was still in short trousers; well, shorts, as a member of the Scotland squad that had just finished the 1999 Five Nations as champions.

Ayr, however, have few players who do not know what it is to get off the team bus and stride through the Murrayfield players’ entrance, into the historic dressing rooms and along the Saltire-lined tunnel to the pitch that every young rugby player in the country dreams of gracing.

How much that experience will count this afternoon will depend on the same principles of any game, who dominates the scrum and lineout, and the breakdown and grabs the early initiative. Ayr dealt Gala a bloody nose in the league with a 20-13 win at Netherdale in only Gala’s second match back in the top flight, only for the Borderers to return the favour with interest at Millbrae a month ago with a 40-29 triumph. They went on to finish third in the league while Ayr fell to sixth, one win away from retaining their British and Irish Cup presence.

Ayr have the bigger pack and that valuable experience, and against coach Kenny Murray’s wishes start as favourites. But that was not enough when the Gala pack took them on last month and half-backs George Graham and Lee Millar pinned them back with expert kicking and exploiting of gaps. Both coaches have been relieved to see key men come through fitness tests, Ayr skipper Stewart back in the midfield and Gala’s 18-year-old hooker Russell Anderson fully recovered from injury. Graham will miss big centre Chris Auld who, like Anderson, was injured on Scotland age-grade duty, but it opens the door for big performances from Alan Emond and Bryce Turner.

Gala remain a developing team, with a host of youngsters from Craig Robertson and Gavin Young on the wings to the front three of Luke Pettie, Anderson and Ewan McQuillin and the back row of Gary Graham, Gary Lowrie and Euan Dodds. It is in contrast to an Ayr side where only half-backs Robbie Fergusson and Murray McConnell fall into the novice category. Like Anderson and Millar, in particular, they are young talents with the potential to move into the professional game.

There are other key players, however, such as Andy Dunlop, Gordon Sykes and Grant Anderson for Ayr and Chris Weir and Andy McLean in maroon who have been excellent servants for their club, while stars Opeta Palepoi in the Gala second row and Ayr centre Ross Curle have the ability to turn the game their way in a moment.

With a new 21st century record crowd expected – the 2004 final attracted just under 8,000 - will it be the cup veterans or the young stags who keep their heads? The league results have made that, encouragingly, too close to call.