Uppies do the double in New Year Ba’s

After a game of twists and turns, which at one point saw the ba’ deep into Doonie territory well into Albert Street, it was the Uppies who snatched victory in the New Year’s Men’s Ba.

At the end of a lengthy debate at Mackinson’s Corner, an elated Derek Robb, aged 50, of Pipersquoy House, Kirkwall, was held high as winner just after 5.15pm.

On a day of both bright sunshine and heavy showers of rain, the game began in front of a massive crowd of spectators, when at 1pm, Uppie winner of 25 years ago Alan Rorie launched the ba’ into the pack of around 300 players.

There was a period of stalemate in Broad Street, however the Doonies got control and took the ba’ down the street, and into Albert Street.

However, progress was halted when the Uppies, who were in possession, forced the ba’ down the lane between Boots and Launderama at around 2.30pm.

Here it was to remain for an hour and a half, when an Uppie move, as darkness began to fall, took the ba’ back on to the street, down the Big Tree Lane and into Castle Street.

As the pack reformed, there was a period of confusion as to where the ba’ actually was. Spectators were as confused as many players, no one seemed to know what had happened.

However, what had unfolded was that a small group of Uppie players – including Christmas Boy’s Ba’ winner Andrew Mulraine, and previous men’s winner Roy Foubister, had smuggled the ba’ from the edge of the pack, taking it up Castle Street, along Broad Street and into Victoria Street. The ba’ being both carried and kicked at this point, with several players involved.

Despite some Doonie resistance, the Uppie break saw the ba’ then run through Victoria Street to the Uppie goal around 4.15pm where it was touched by Jack Paterson.

The ba’ was then taken away by Uppie Wayne Monkman, who then returned to the corner to allow the debate for the winner to take place.

Having been held aloft as winner, a clearly delighted Derek, who has played since he was 22, praised the Uppie side for their fantastic performance on the day saying that it was “an absolute feeling of joy” to be taking the ba’ home.