Sporting round-up 24 September 2026
- Men’s volleyball
- Mixed rugby results
- County Shield final
SHETLAND men’s volleyball team got their league campaign started on Saturday with a narrow 3-2 defeat to South Ayrshire.
The blues travelled south for the fixture, armed with two new players from Edinburgh University, and they seized an epic first set 28-26 after trailing 23-19.
The second set was just as close, with both teams trading points and neither side really able to pull away, but South Ayrshire eventually claimed it 25-22 to level the game.
The energy levels in the visitors started to dip after two gruelling sets, but the blues continued to push their mainland opponents all the way.
South Ayrshire got over the line 25-19 in the third set to turn the game on its head, and to move to one set from victory.
However Shetland came into the fourth set determined not to let the match slip away, and they got off to a fantastic start, quickly building a four-point lead with some great serving from Joshua Morrison.
South Ayrshire were forced to call a timeout as Shetland moved 10-3 ahead, but the blues battled on and levelled the game again with a 25-19 win in set four.
A deciding fifth set was needed, and Shetland built a 9-4 lead to move to the cusp of victory.
But their opponents began to find their rhythm and closed the gap, before levelling at 11-11.
Shetland called a timeout to regroup, but it was not enough as South Ayrshire motored to a 15-11 win and a 3-2 overall victory.
THERE WERE mixed fortunes for the Shetland men’s and women’s rugby teams last weekend.
The Valkyries kickstarted their league campaign with a thumping 87-12 victory over Lochaber on a chilly and rainy morning at the North Loch park in Lerwick.
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However the men’s team fell to a 63-19 defeat on the road to Aberdeenshire on Saturday.
Next up for the men is another away trip, this time to face North Police Scotland this weekend.
Meanwhile the Valkyries have a weekend off, before travelling to face Aberdeenshire Quines on 3 October.
THE LAST A’s football cup final of the season will take place on Saturday afternoon.
Lerwick Celtic will meet Whitedale on the North Loch 3G pitch in town at 3pm on Saturday, with the two teams vying for the GTS County Shield.
Both are seeking to end long barren streaks in the competition, with Celtic last lifting the shield in 2015. Whitedale were last winners in 2011.
For Celtic the match offers their last chance of silverware for the 2026 season, while Whitedale are looking to add the County Shield to the Manson Cup they claimed earlier this year.
Meanwhile Delting will face Whalsay B next week to decide who will lift this year’s reserve league title.
Delting saw off Spurs B 3-2 on Monday to set up a tantalising title decider, with Whalsay B needing just a point to be crowned champions – mirroring their A team’s final game in the senior league this year.
Their opponents meanwhile will have to beat them just to draw level on 28 points with them at the summit, which is likely to trigger a one-off decider.
The game will be played at North Loch park on Wednesday 30 September.
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