The Shinty Preview – Saturday 7 August 2010. | |
05 August 2010 The Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup semi finals take centre stage at Mossfield, Oban on Saturday 7 August 2010. Inveraray and Fort William meet in the first Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup semi final. Inveraray have had weakened sides for most away matches this season but all their big guns will likely be available for this one. John Smylie’s team has been in phenomenal form in front of goal recently, having racked up 20 goals in their last 2 matches against Bute and Glasgow Mid Argyll. The Fort have won the last 3 finals – a record which they are fiercely proud of. Gary Innes returns to the side which edged out Bute last weekend as does John MacDonald and Victor Smith. This leaves the Fort at full strength with the exception of long term injury casualty Duncan Rodgers. With each side having a potent attack, the outcome of this tie could depend on how each defence copes with the tie. Throw up is at 1pm. Kyles Athletic and Kingussie follow at 3.30pm. The sides met at the same stage last season with Kyles going through to the final following a replay after the first semi final was controversially abandoned with Kingussie leading 4-1. Kyles will miss the influence of Donald Irvine, who won the Albert Smith medal in the 2009 final, as he is working abroad. Kingussie manager Steven Borthwick may be tempted to start with Iain Borthwick and Fraser Munro who were both on the bench against Lovat last week. Ally MacLeod may also come back into contention as he returns to fitness following a broken thumb. There is just one match in the Scottish Hydro Premier Division as Glenurquhart welcome Glasgow Mid Argyll to Blairbeg. Glenurquhart know that victory will put them 5 points clear of second bottom Oban Camanachd. The visitors have been on the wrong end of some heavy defeats recently but one bright spot has been the form of Mark Bain who has netted 3 times in his last 2 outings. Mid Argyll enjoyed a 1-0 victory in the corresponding fixture earlier in the season thanks to an Andy Mathie goal. Kinlochshiel occupy second place in Marine Harvest North Division 1 on goal difference but they can go clear at the top if they take anything from their match with Kilmallie at Canal Parks. Leaders Lochaber are not in action so Shiel have the chance to regain top spot. They will have to do so without buckshee back John Don MacKenzie who serves the second game of a 2 match ban. However they will find Kilmallie desperate for the points after the Canal Parks side recently dropped 3 out of 4 against the other two west coast sides, Lochcarron and Skye Camanachd. Skye will be looking for revenge when they play Inverness Portree in the noon throw up at Pairc nan Laoch, The Islanders are boosted by Somhairle MacDonald’s return whilst Iain Nicolson is also included after missing the draw against Kilmallie because of work commitments. Inverness enjoyed a 6-1 win over Skye when the sides met at the Bught recently. A home win would lift Skye from seventh to fourth. Third place Lochside Rovers and sixth place Kilmory meet in Oban in Marine Harvest South Division 1. The sides are only separated by 2 points so this is an important clash. Kilmory won 4-3 when the sides met on the opening day of the season with David MacAllister scoring twice. The match between bottom side Inveraray and Ballachulish at the Winterton was postponed. The match between Marine Harvest North Division 2 leaders Glengarry and Kingussie at the Dell has been postponed. Kinlochshiel and Kilmallie meet at Kirkton. Skye Camanachd and reigning champions Glenurquhart meet at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree. The home side will be without Darryl McIntosh whose thumb is broken in 6 places. The Glen will do a fitness check on Ruaraidh Cameron who was forced to come off at the interval in the Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup defeat to Lovat with a hamstring problem. The Marine Harvest South Division 2 match between Aberdour and Bute is off. Marine Harvest North Division 3 leaders Aberdeen University travel to Battery Park to play Lochcarron. The Students have Lochaber hot on their tail and they know that they cannot afford any slip ups in their pursuit of the title. Lochcarron had an impressive win over Lochbroom last weekend and David MacCuish has been an influential player for them this season. The match between Inverness and Strathglass at the Bught has been postponed as has the game between second top Lochaber and Ardnamurchan at Spean Bridge. |